Future Mythology
by PixieGirl13
Summary: Full Sum Inside:Sequal to Phantom Mythology. In the future, the earth is literally broken. The ancient Greek gods with the help of Vlad have taken over with the help of the Infi-map and a relunctant Theo. Each god or goddess has their own section of...
1. Chapter 1 Future Superhero

Full Summery: Sequel to Phantom Mythology. In the future, the earth is literally broken. The ancient Greek gods with the help of Vlad has taken over with the help of the Infi-map and a reluctant Theo. Each god or goddess has their own section of broken earth. Technology is limited and humans are starting to become rare. To survive, they need someone to step up and be the hero. But with no one strong enough to do so, Theo turns to his last option...Danny Phantom from the past. But not even the good old duo will be enough to stop what Vlad has begun.

A/N: YEAH! I am PUMPED to start this fic! Well, either that or I had too many lattes. Maybe a mixture of both. That's what you get with a sister who works at Starbucks. If you're a first time reader, please go to Phantom Mythology before reading or you will get confused. To my dear and faithful readers from the past, gear up for my first chapter of my sequel. It is different from my first, but it still includes all the characters. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Any Danny Phantom characters you see are not mine. The rest, like Theo, are mine and are not for other use unless with permission.

Future Mythology

By: Pixiegirl13

Chapter 1 Future Superhero

The room was dark and quiet. Easily hoisting himself up and through the open window, a figure silently entered the bedroom. He landed in a crouch, using his heightened eyesight to see the room as if it wasn't pitch-black. His eyes scanned the poster covered walls, furniture, and other odds and ends that made the place personal to its owner.

The figure quickly checked his watch. He looked up with a distant, faraway look on his face when he realized he had plenty of time to spare and didn't know what to do with it. Standing up straight, for a moment the young man let his guard down a little. He was safe…for the moment.

Curiosity kicking in, the intruder started to walk around the dark bedroom to observe the tiny details. He stood by the wooden dresser by the door, looking at the pictures in their little frames and the NASA and other space figurines placed there.

A sad but hopeful smile crossed the hooded face of the stranger as he touched one of the NASA models that had been made by hand by the person who owned the room.

Suddenly the intruder heard a distant noise. Reacting on impulse, the intruder rushed into action. He crossed over to the door and flattened himself against the wall just before the door opened. Someone walked in with a tired sigh and used a foot to slam the door back shut. Before the boy had a chance to switch on the lights, the intruder had his weapon pressed against the back of his head.

"Don't move," the stranger said softly but with a dark undertone. He held his laser gun steady, ready to shoot if anything happened not to his liking. "Tell me where Danny Fenton is and I'll leave you alone. I'm not here to hurt anyone."

"What is this, _Punked_?" the teen asked as he snapped on the lights.

The intruder took no chances. He launched himself at his victim, forcing him to the ground face first. "I told you not to move, kid!" he hissed harshly into the boy's ear as he pinned him chest down on the carpeted floor of the room. Pressing the laser gun harder into the teen's head, the intruder demanded, "Now tell me where Danny Fenton is!"

"Dude, I'm Danny Fenton!" the teen snapped back. "Get off, freak! I'm in no mood to have some lame bounty hunter try to capture me at in the middle of the night!"

"Danny!" the stranger said in a whisper. He let up on his hold and put the gun back into the space between his belt and baggy jeans. "Is it really you?"

"Do I know you, dude?" Danny asked in a grumble, clearly ticked to have such a confusing adversary. He used an elbow to turn himself around to look up at the intruder. At first he didn't recognize the young man because of the hoodie hiding most of his face in deep shadows. Then he saw it in the guy's wide, brown eyes.

"Theo?" Danny asked in barely a whisper.

Theo laughed with relief as he threw his arms around Danny's shoulders for a hug. "It is you, stupid and confused as ever!" he said, half teasing.

"Whoa! Wait!" Danny yelled back, shoving Theo off him and standing up. He backed away from the half sphinx while giving him a suspicious look. "What is going on? You promise to visit and be great friends and then three years go by and I don't hear a dang word from you. Now you show up, threaten with some gun, and then hug me like everything is all peachy between us. Newsflash, cat boy, things aren't all okay. Explain yourself."

Theo pulled his hood off to reveal his pointy cat ears. He gave Danny a thoughtful frown for a moment before saying, "Dude, you've grown up. I guess I should take back that stupid comment from before."

Danny said nothing, but he did take in the difference in his old friend. Theo wasn't a teen anymore, even though he was shorter than Danny now. His long hair was gone and there was a scar running down the side of his jaw, but it was well hidden under his short, tan fur. He had a small goatee that surprisingly suited him well.

It looked like years had gone by for him. Danny could see it on his face and in his eyes. There was a hurt, a struggle going on in those eyes. A bitterness had returned. He wasn't the same Theo who had said goodbye to him three years ago.

But then again, three years had completely changed Danny as well. A year after his adventures in Ancient Greece he saved the world from a meteor by turning Earth intangible. His parents and the world found out his ghostly secret. He was full time superhero now, and he still had to juggle the stress of school. He and Sam had been dating for two years now and still going strong. He was a new person, and so was Theo.

Theo sighed before becoming more serious. "I'm sorry I didn't visit, Danny," he said, "But I have my reasons. Actually, the reason why I'm here is because of that. I…I need your help."

"My help?" Danny asked, surprised. He smirked while crossing his arms. "Wow, I didn't think you'd ever say that to me. Are you sure no ghost is overshadowing you at the moment and making you say this?"

"No, Danny, this is serious," Theo pleaded, "I've tried everything to save it. We've tried every option we had and they have all failed." Now Theo was on a little rant, conjuring up old and painful memories that Danny had no possible way to understand. "Vlad and the others are just too strong," he continued. "No one else knows what to do. Everyone has lost hope. But I didn't. I have a plan and it's so perfect. I've been risking it for months now. And finally it's worked out. I've found you. You'll help us."

"Hey! Slow down!" Danny demanded, jerking Theo out of his trance. "What are you talking about? You're speaking in riddles here. It's creeping me out."

Theo rolled his eyes in impatience and sighed. This was going to take a long time to explain to the ghost boy. "Do you have any coffee, kid?" he asked Danny with a grim smile. "This is gonna take more than just an hour."

"Sure," Danny answered, happy to hear that an explanation was coming, "Have you ever heard of Starbucks?"

"I knew I liked you," Theo said, his smile widening.

-Few Hours Later-

The two were sitting in the kitchen of the house. Danny's parents were out of town because of a ghost crisis. They had taken over for Danny because he had a term paper due the next week and he hadn't even begun to work on it. He needed the grade, so they had demanded him to stay home while they handled the situation. He wasn't happy with the decision, but maybe it was a good one because he wouldn't have bumped into Theo if he had gone.

Jazz had gone to Harvard as soon as she graduated, so she wasn't there at home. Danny had the place to himself that weekend, which was fine with him. But the ghost alarm hadn't gone off the whole time and he was itching for some action. Unfortunately, Theo's problem wasn't his ideal kind of action.

"Okay, let me get this straight," Danny said as he paced the tiled floor of the brightly lit kitchen. "Vlad from two years ago, after his fiasco with that meteor, managed to find a portal into your time period. He forced you to predict portals into the future with your Infi-map. He then went way, way into the future and got most of the gods and goddesses to back him up, and he took you with him. He and the other gods then tore up the Earth somehow so now it's all broken up into their own sections. Somehow they are more powerful than ever before, so they are easily killing off the human race or simply enslaving them. You and this group of yours have formed a rebellion and you came up with a plan to bring me to your time period to save it." He fell into a chair with a defeated sigh. "I'm still confused."

Theo stared into his steaming coffee cup as he leaned back his chair onto its two back legs. Once comfortable, he glanced up at the distressed Danny. "No, ghost boy, you got it right," he said calmly. "I know it doesn't make much sense, but it would if you saw it. And you're only part of the plan. The Rebellion is taking care of the other half. My only part in it is getting to you and convincing you to help us."

"It's so much to take in all at once," Danny said while holding onto his perplexed head. He could feel a headache coming on. "I mean, you're situation seems too far gone. How am I supposed to defeat a couple of high powered ghosts and Vlad? It seems…impossible."

Theo took a sip from his cup. His expression was just like Danny remembered him, moody and reclusive. "You have no clue how many times I've thought that," he said. "And I won't blame you if you say no to this." He set his mug down on the table while closing his eyes. He let out a bitter laugh as he said, "Actually, I almost want to tell you to just stay here."

Silence filled the small room for a few minutes as the two were left to their own thoughts.

Finally Danny looked up at Theo and asked quietly, "You're serious, aren't you?"

Theo looked over his mug at him as he took another small sip. "Yeah," he said after a pause. "We need you're help, but I won't demand it like the Rebellion told me to. Danny, you're my best friend, I won't make you throw your whole life away and maybe get killed for a cause you don't have to believe in."

"I'm your best friend?" Danny asked with a little grin.

Theo rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Well, besides Bob, you are," Theo said sarcastically.

"Who's Bob?" Danny asked.

"He…he's a blob ghost," Theo tried to explain. "For some reason he took a liking to me when I found him in the trash tank and has followed me around the Tower ever since. I had to lock him in my room before I snuck out."

"So he's your pet?" Danny asked. His grin widened when he saw Theo's peeved expression after he said this. He missed seeing those ears flatten.

"He's not my pet!" he stated clearly.

"Sure," Danny lied with a nod, "I totally believe you."

"Shut up!" Theo snapped. He was trying hard to keep a smile from creeping onto his lips.

"I'm not saying anything," Danny said while putting his hands up for defense.

"I know that look of yours, ghost boy," Theo said, "Say one word about Bob being my pet, and I'm gonna have to remind you how hard I hit." They both laughed at the memory of their childish fights from years before, before they were actual friends.

"Hey, where is Rhodes?" Danny asked randomly as they settled back down. "You haven't mentioned her even once in your hour long monologue of your past 50 years. I thought you two were destined for each other."

Theo looked back into his cup, his smiling face sobering with the mention of the fox spirit's name. "It's hard to get into contact with her because she is in hiding on another Terra. For a few years Vlad used her as blackmail, but she escaped with mine and the Rebellion's help a long time ago. That didn't go over too well with Vlad and me." He indicated the scar on his jaw with an index finger.

Danny listened to this story with dismal interest. He knew how Theo felt towards Rhodes. He and Sam shared that same love and connection. To know that they were parted from each other just crushed his heart.

Theo looked up with a smile then. He gave a short, quiet laugh as he added, "We got married two years ago."

Danny's jaw hit the floor with this news. After the first initial shock, he said, "Married! Wow! Scary!"

"I know," Theo said while shifting in his seat. Danny knew that the half sphinx had to be blushing under that fur of his. "I've never been so nervous in my life. Now that was an adventure! You probably see me as some old man now, don't you?"

Danny laughed at this. "No way, dude," he said, "It's just weird getting the concept in my mind that you age differently than me. How old are you in my years?"

"I'd guess 22 to 25," Theo said with a shrug, "But I still feel 18 and reckless. Speaking of age, how old are you now?"

"17," Danny answered.

Theo sighed in conflicted frustration as he leaned forward and rested his forehead on the table with a dull _thump_. "Only freaking 17," he muttered. Danny didn't catch it because the words were all muffled coming from Theo's face on the table. But he got the gist of it. Theo thought he was too young to do this.

Danny opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped himself when he noticed Theo's body stiffen and a cat ear swerve to catch a certain suspicious sound. Muscles tensing like his friend's, Danny glanced around the room as if to magically predict where the danger was coming from. In a flash of bright light, Danny went ghost so to be prepared for an attack.

Even with the clear warning, Danny didn't expect the whiz of a dart as it flew by his ear. Theo reacted in the blink of an eye. One second he was sitting there with his head still resting against the table, the next he was up out of his chair with a dart stuck to the wall right behind him.

Theo was still in swift mode as he brought out his laser gun from behind him and aimed it in the direction that the dart had come from. A quick flash of red blasted from the weapon as it shot a short discharge of concentrated heated light at the target. Unfortunately, Theo had always preferred the old style of arsenal and wasn't the greatest at using the future's artillery.

Missing by a few inches, Theo cursed at his invisible target as he aimed again. He shot again and missed. Another dart whizzed by the half sphinx's head, producing another swing of colorful words. He rushed a few steps to the side to keep himself a moving target for this invisible adversary.

Taking a chance, Danny raised a pointed finger from where he was floating above the table and let a small ectoplasm ray out at the attacker. It made contact a second later. The air buzzed around the dart shooter as it became visible for the two friends.

"What the heck is that thing?" Danny asked as it came into view. It was a little hovering machine with big green bug-like eyes and a small opening for it to shoot its deadly darts. As soon as it had been hit by Danny, it swerved around from Theo to the ghost boy, looking mad…if machines could look that way. Apparently ghost rays didn't work well with the thing.

A second later, Theo had pulled the trigger to his gun a third time. This time he was successful. The machine sputtered as a ball of red laser ripped through its metallic covering. It seemed to hiccup on death for a second before dropping to the kitchen floor with a crash.

"That," Theo answered while putting his gun away, "That was my hint to get out of here and back to the time period Vlad thinks I'm in. Hopefully I'll see you later, ghost boy." With that said and done, the cat boy took off down the hallway to the front door where he would leave Danny's world behind.

For poor Danny this was all happening so fast. The random appearance of his friend, the tale of a horrible future, strange dart shooting bug machine's in his house, and the fleeing Theo was making his head spin. What was he supposed to do?

Theo was half way to the door, his hand outstretched and ready to grab the doorknob, when something grabbed his ankle from below. A scream of alarm lodged itself in the young man's throat as he turned intangible only an inch away from his exit. He was so close!

Phasing through the floor, Theo came out on the other side in the basement. For a moment of freefall Theo felt a flash of panic. He twisted body so that he was facing the tiled floor a second before landing steadily on his feet. Looking up with dread, he saw Danny there instead of the ghost he had expected.

"You didn't think you could save the world without me, did ya, kitty?" Danny asked with an addictive grin.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" Theo exploded. He fumed for a second before realizing something and shouted, "And don't ever call me kitty!" Danny expected his old friend to explode into a raging ball of fire, but the cat un-expectantly didn't put his fire powers to use.

"Are you going to lecture me on nicknames all day, or do you want to help so we can get on our ways?" Danny asked with the grin never leaving his face. He was shoving random ghost fighting gadgets into a backpack. Last time they had fought ghosts without much preparation and without the adequate equipment. Danny didn't want to make that same mistake this time around.

"Wait, you're coming with me?" Theo asked without helping Danny with his packing. "When was this decided between us?"

"I can make my own decisions, Theo," Danny said seriously. "Just because you're married, that doesn't mean you should treat me like a kid. Dude, I get enough of that crap from my teachers at school." He walked up to Theo with a Fenton thermos in his hands and a backpack slung over a shoulder. "Besides," he said, "You're my friend. I can't just sit here and do nothing while you go get killed or something. You and the future need help. I want to do just that."

Theo looked at the thermos in thought before smiling slightly. "You sure, kid?" he asked. "'Cause if I was you I'd turn around and run away. I mean, this isn't all fun and games Star Wars future. This is serious."

"So I won't meet Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker?" Danny asked with pretend disappointment. The two laughed at this. "But I mean it, Theo, I'm in no matter what," Danny said. "No way can you talk me out of it now. I'm committed."

Theo sighed before a nod. "Good," he said while reaching into his hoodie for something. He brought out a little clog from a clock with a purple ribbon looped around his neck. It had the two letters CW printed elegantly on it, the signature of Clockwork.

"Clockwork!" Danny said with recognition. "Did he send you on this mission?"

"Kind of," Theo explained. "He wants things to be set right in the future. I was the one who came up with the plan to get you, but I'm sure he saw it coming and just waited for me to say it. He hasn't told me if bringing you to the future will work out or not, but he never tells me anything."

"He doesn't tell _anybody_ anything," Danny pointed out. Clockwork liked leaving the rest of the world in the dark. And truthfully, it was better that way.

"True," Theo admitted with a grin. He held up the necklace to Danny and explained, "Clockwork designed this just for you. It will keep you in my time period once you put it on. But the second it comes off, you have a five second delay before returning to this time period, so make sure you keep it secure. The last thing we need is for you to brush it off while sleeping and have to start our search for you all over again. Go it?"

"Yeah, keep it on at all times," Danny said with a hyperactive nod. Even though he was serious at the moment, he still felt tense and jittery. Having the mission to save the world can do that to a person. "Got it!"

"Now, understand that if you want to back out or anything, all you have to do take it off," Theo said. "I'm not forcing you to help me. And if you get into a tight spot…"

"Okay, dude, I get it," Danny said with an overdramatic sigh. "Jeez! You sound like an over protective parent, Theo. Just calm down and hand it over. I've worn one before and know how it works."

"Punk," Theo muttered as he handed Danny the onyx colored necklace with some reluctance. "Die, for all I care."

"Thanks," Danny returned with equal sarcasm. He put the violet necklace around his neck and was instantly transported before Theo's eyes. One second there, and the other gone.

Blue eyes widening, Danny found himself on the roof a giant skyscraper-like tower. A harsh wind battered him from all around, trying to blast him off the roof and out of its lofty domain. Bewildered and highly excited for this new adventure, Danny stumbled over to the edge of the Tower to see what was below.

"Holy…freaking…crap," were Danny's only words as he took in the sight.

Below him was a massive city that seemed to pulsate as if breathing in the night time lights and air. It was filled with noises and lights that shined brightly and competed for dominance. It was like New York or another busy city, but ten times bigger. Every direction Danny faced was a city for miles in all directions. It was like a sea of tall and luminous buildings and infrastructure. It was a dazzling thing to see.

"We need to get moving!" Theo said from behind a second later as he jumped out of a ghost portal. Unlike Danny with his unique Clockwork gadget, Theo had to time travel the hard and old fashioned way by jumping through multiple vortexes and portals to get back.

Danny didn't react to Theo's sudden reappearance. He just stared out at the massive metropolis with a numb expression. It was incredible, almost unbelievable. It was the future.

A/N: Having fun yet? If confused, things will make sense in later chapters. I want you guys to stay on Danny's clueless level for the moment. I'm not sure if next weekend will be my next update for this fic, but I plan it to be. But if you don't see an update, I'm sorry before hand. Hope to see you readers next weekend!


	2. Chapter 2 Secret Identity

A/N: I had a sleepover this weekend with a friend, so I never got around to typing the last page out till now, so sorry for the delay and for not responding to your awesome reviews. Nothing much else to say except enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Danny Phantom, but Bob and Theo I do.

Chapter 2 Secret Identity

"Are you sure this isn't Star Wars?" Danny asked Theo from where he stood on the edge of the roof. His wide eyes were lit up from a hyper mix of excitement, wonder, and the dazzling neon lights from below. He looked back at Theo with a grin, eager for what would come next.

"We'll have plenty of time to see the city at normal height level later on," Theo said in a rush. "But right now Vlad thinks that I'm gone and is probably going to my room to check up on me. If I'm not there, you do NOT want to know what this city looks like in lockdown mode!"

Danny's eyes managed to get bigger at these words. He briskly walked back to Theo while saying, "Then let's go! How long is it gonna take to get back to Vlad's house and into your room?"

Theo was already hurrying over to a large ventilation shaft opening as Danny asked this. "This Tower is the center of the Terra," Theo said as he gripped the sides of the cover. "This Tower is also Vlad's center of operations. Almost everything he does he does in here. Naturally, he built a cell-like room for me to keep an eye on me. He's caught me a few times sneaking out, so he set up different devices to catch me if I jump portals and time periods. That was what that bug thing in your kitchen was. Vlad knows I was out."

With a grunt, he pulled hard on the cover. One strong tug popped it out of place. He had already gone another time up there to take the bolts off so as to make this job quicker and easier. He discarded the cover and it clanked to the floor.

Turning towards Danny he said slyly, "But he's gonna have to catch me in the act if he wants any proof."

The two old friends smiled at each other as they jumped into the small vent shaft. It was barely big enough to call roomy, but it was still cramp worthy. Thankfully, Theo knew the vent shafts like the back of his hand. Danny had to try and keep up with him as he crawled army style through the dust laden tube. There were a lot of twists, turns, and drops as they made their way through.

"Why couldn't I have just phased us through the ceiling?" Danny grumbled. "You _always_ like doing things the hard way."

"And you always like to complain," Theo shot back behind his shoulder. "Vlad has rigged this place out to read any signs of ectoplasm on ghosts. Any ghost-like substance that isn't recognizable is instantly recorded and will alert the guards and Vlad. You can do simple things like turn invisible and fly, but nothing like rays or phasing that involves more energy."

"Jeez! He's still the paranoid old fruit loop from before isn't he?" Danny said with the roll of his eyes. Theo's only response was a sharp laugh. The kid didn't know how Vlad had changed from before. Theo hoped that Danny would never have to see the true depths of that change in his old enemy.

"We're here," Theo said quietly as he came to a stop. He lifted a vent lid he had personally altered to open and close so he could use the vent shafts as his personal highway throughout the Tower. Vlad couldn't seriously think he stayed cooped up in his room all day, did he?

They had to jump down a few feet to the floor of the room. Danny was shocked as he looked up after landing. He had thought that Vlad would put Theo in a prison cell or something along those lines. But this room was far from the bare-lonely-cold-walls feel Danny had expected.

It was roomy, the size of maybe a few of his bedrooms combined. It had white walls with soft red carpet. The round shaped bed had a fluffy, ruby red comforter. The furniture was accented red and silver, and it all matched a sort of retro style that the room took on. One whole wall was an actual TV/Computer screen. Another wall was a window overlooking the city. Red drapes were turned halfway to keep down the glare of city lights.

"Some prison cell you got here," Danny muttered in amazement. He could only dream of having an awesome room like this.

"Vlad thinks that if I like my room I'd stay in it more," Theo said thoughtfully. "I'm in the process of proving him wrong. It's nice, though, isn't it?"

"Rraw! Gret!"

Danny took his eyes off the room to see a little green blob fly up to Theo with a look of worry in his big, cute eyes. The thing swirled around the demigod, chirping all these little things as if in its own language. It looked like flying green play dough with eyes and stubby little arms.

"Calm down, Bob," Theo ordered the blob. "I was only gone for like five minutes!"

"So this is Bob?" Danny asked. He had forgotten their conversation before about the "pet".

"Danny, Bob. Bob, Danny," Theo said in rushed introductions. Bob gave Danny a skeptical look while grumbling something over to Theo.

"No, he's not a spy," Theo snapped at Bob. Apparently the guy knew Bob's language. "I don't care if he smells like failure," he said with a frustrated sigh. "Just be nice." Bob's reaction to this was a glare in Danny's direction. That was his way of being nice to the ghost boy, Danny guessed.

Theo hurried over to a big, round chair floating in the middle of the room. He sat down on it cross-legged and grabbed the keyboard on it, putting it on his lap. He turned around and told Danny, "Vlad's gonna arrive any second. Turn invisible and keep yourself that way no matter what. Got that?"

"What do you mean by 'no matter what'?" Danny asked, alarm and worry in his voice. "Should I expect something bad?"

"Just do what I say," Theo practically pleaded. "Vlad can't know that you're…"

He was strictly cut off in mid sentence as his door was pounded on. Danny turned invisible just as Vlad burst into the room in a huff. Danny gave a look of intrigue as he studied the man who had once been his arch enemy. He didn't look like he had grown a day since the meteor accident. But that couldn't be possible. Theo said that 50 years had gone by. He should have been a shriveled up prune old person by now.

It was odd for Danny to be this close to Vlad after two whole years of his absence in his life. He still felt his hair raise and his heart beat faster though he knew Vlad couldn't see him. The man had always had this appearance to him that commanded others to respect and fear him.

"What are you doing here?" Theo asked Vlad from where he sat on the hovering seat. "Nice knock by the way. Is that your way of sarcasm about my want of privacy?"

Vlad Plasmius took in the room with his sharp, narrowed red eyes. He gave an extra nasty look at Bob when he spotted him. Bob boldly stuck his bubblegum pink tongue out at the man. Danny had to put a hand over his mouth to keep in a laugh.

"Stupid blob," Vlad muttered before returning his stern gaze over to a smirking Theo. He folded his arms in front of his chest before asking the boy, "Where have you been?"

"This again," Theo muttered with the roll of his eyes. He acted like a rebellious teenager with Vlad. Their interaction was interesting for Danny to watch.

"Tell me," Vlad demanded, his voice sharp and cold. He knew what Theo was capable of and had made the mistake numerous of times of thinking the young man was simply a stupid kid. The only way to handle the demigod was harsh commands and punishments.

"I've been sitting here all day," Theo said dully. "The Internet can keep someone entertained for hours."

"Lying will only get you a harsher punishment," Vlad said, not budging. "I was just informed that you had jumped to another time period."

Theo frowned deeply. "I'm in no mood for your stupid accusations, Masters," he said, returning his eyes back to his computer screen wall. He typed in a few keys and did his own thing while ignoring Vlad's scowl. "Hey!" he shouted when Vlad suddenly punched in a button by the door that shut down the floating chair and computer combined.

Theo gracefully rolled off his seat as it fell clumsily to the floor with a loud _thump_. He glared up at Vlad as the man took a few strong, even steps over to the feline boy. Theo held his ground as Vlad came inches away from him. Vlad's attempt to frighten or to intimidate the young man was proving to be useless.

Suddenly the man smiled evilly down at Theo. Danny watched as the man turned his arm intangible and phased it through Theo's chest and stomach with one forceful thrust. A look of discomfort fleeted across Theo's features, but he said nothing. A second later Vlad's hand came back out, but with Theo's laser gun now in his firm clutches.

"Where you get the audacity to lie to me, I have no clue," Vlad said as he rested the muzzle of the gun on Theo's forehead. "We've been through this a thousand times, Theo. Just because I let you work with me, it doesn't mean you're free. I can do whatever I jolly well want with you. Nothing is keeping me from shooting and killing you right now."

"You'd never kill me," Theo said with a bitter chuckle. "I'm too valuable. Aren't I, Vlad?"

"Then I guess I'm aiming in the wrong direction," Vlad said as he moved the gun to Theo's stomach. A millisecond later, the trigger was pulled.

It didn't make any noise, but the effect was just as dramatic. Theo gave a choked cry of pain as he put a hand over the hot and bloody wound on his right side just above his hip bone. He hadn't expected Vlad to actually shoot him. The shock was clearly seen on his face.

Danny was in total panic. It took all his will power to keep invisible and not fly over to Vlad and punch him in the back of the head. He hated to be the bystander and watch helplessly as Vlad hurt his friend.

Screaming like a banshee, Bob flew at Vlad for an attack. He didn't like being a bystander either and was going to do something about it. Unfortunately, Vlad simply whacked the poor blob away with a hand, sending it into the window wall. The thing whimpered in pain as it stayed there.

Vlad gripped Theo's shoulder to keep the demigod on his shaky feet. With his other hand, the man grabbed Theo's chin to force their eyes to connect. Besides the fear in Theo's eyes, Danny could see a spark of rebellion. Vlad could hit him all he wanted, but Danny knew that glare would never be put out. Theo was still hanging on. It was somehow a chilling reassurance for the ghost boy.

"I've been too lenient with you, boy," Vlad hissed into Theo's face. "This is the last straw. You're going to tell me everything you know, starting with your little escapade a few minutes ago. By the time I've sucked all the information out of you, you're going to wish you stayed in your room all these years."

With his threat said, Vlad took out a syringe-like object from his belt and shoved it deep into Theo's neck. The half sphinx let out a silent yell as his face grimaced in pain. It took only seconds for the serum to kick in. Vlad watched with a satisfied evil smirk as Theo's body took on the effects till he finally passed out. It was only then when Vlad let the demigod go and drop to the floor.

Vlad brought his wrist to his mouth and spoke into a watch-like communicator there. "Pick up the boy and bring him to the infirmary immediately," he said sharply. "Once you heal him, bring him to level 32 for questioning. Make sure you keep him sedated. Put chains on him once you get him into a questioning room. I don't want any mistakes with this one. Understand?"

"Roger that, Master," a voice said from the other end. "We are at the door to the room right now. My team and I will bring about your wishes right away."

"Good," Vlad returned coolly. He began to walk out of the room. When the door opened he said to the leading guard standing there, "You better do this right because it is your life on the line here."

"Yes, sir," the man said, nodding nervously. Once Vlad was gone, he led his team of guards into the room. The normal guards all wore white armor that was compact and simple, very futuristic. The leading guard dressed the same as the others but had a long red cape on with other red accented medals to show off his higher rank to others.

"He's bleeding, sir!" one of the lower ranked guards informed the leader with alarm. "We shouldn't move him!" The rest of the guards were hovering around Theo's fallen body, waiting for instructions from their leader.

"Jeez! The kid really pushed Vlad over the edge this time," the leader sighed with pity. He quickly composed himself and ordered his team, "Vlad gave us orders, men. Let's get the kid over to the infirmary right away. Be as careful as you can with his body. Someone get some pressure on his wound. Get to it!"

Danny was impressed with the leader's swift, stern but gentle commandments to his team. He knew how to get them all into motion. But he was also mad at the group for taking away his friend so quickly. It only took the guards a minute or two to get Theo's body out the door. It was all too soon when the room calmed down to an eerie silence.

Turning visible, Danny was so stunned he just stood there stupidly for a good minute or so. "What do I do?" he asked himself quietly. "I can't just stay here, but I can't rescue Theo. I don't know the first thing about this place or this world for that matter." He yanked on his black locks with his hands in torn confusion. "Ah! What do I do?"

"Merp?" a little voice asked from his side suddenly. Danny looked over to Bob without much reassurance. What was Theo's pet blob going to do to help him? But the poor thing looked hurt and downtrodden, getting some emotion out of the boy.

"You okay, Bob?" he asked the ghost blob.

Bob nodded with a dispassionate chirp. Suddenly it perked up with an idea. He flew circles around Danny while ranting in his own confusing language. Danny didn't understand.

"What? What do you want?" Danny asked him with some irritation in his voice. "You freaking out is not helping me think!"

Bob frowned in thought before flying over to the button to turn on the computer and floating chair. He pushed all his weight against it to turn it back on. Danny watched with skepticism as Bob used the wall as a touch screen computer. He flew around the screen, bringing up words and pictures at what seemed like random. Finally Bob stopped his madness and smiled at Danny.

"How Theo understands you, I'll never figure out," Danny muttered as he sat on the floating chair to see what Bob had done. Eyebrows rising in surprise, Danny realized that Bob had cut and pasted words from the Internet to give Danny a message in his own language.

"_I know how to get to level 32. If you follow me, we can rescue Theo,"_ Danny recited the note out loud. Excitement flew through him at this news. "You do?" he asked Bob. "That's great! Let's go now!"

Bob squawked at Danny to return back to his seat. Like a reprimanded child, Danny slinked back to the floating chair and waited for Bob to explain. The blob whizzed around the touch screen wall again. This time the message told Danny to be properly prepared.

"But I am prepared," Danny told Bob. He lifted up his backpack while saying, "This has enough ghost fighting equipment in it for after we bust Theo out."

Bob shook his head…well that's what it looked like for Danny. The blob thought for a moment before flying over to a place near Theo's bed. He struggled a bit to pick up a piece of the carpet and flap it over to the side. Danny flew over next to him to see what he was doing. Under the flap of carpet was a hidden compartment in the floor. Danny opened it and smiled when seeing a stock of different weapons that Theo must have collected over his years of captivity.

"Score!" Danny said while shooting Bob a grin. Bob gave a prideful smile. He had done his job well.

Grinning like a kid on Christmas morning, Danny shuffled through the various future weapons. Most of them Danny had no clue as to how they worked. In the end, he picked out a laser gun like Vlad had confiscated from Theo, a dangerous looking knife, and bag full of metallic silver, one inch diameter balls. He attached his new toys onto a belt he had found in the compartment.

It looked like the teen was ready to go, but Bob had one more thing to tell him before they set off on their rescue mission. The blob flew up to Danny, holding a set of black goggles with blue tinted lenses. Danny held out his hand for them, shooting Bob a questioning look.

"What are these for?" he asked.

Bob flew up to the computer screen and brought up multiple pictures of classic superheroes like Batman, Robin, Spiderman, and Daredevil. Danny frowned in confusion as he tried to get the message Bob was sending to him. Something was similar with these comic book heroes. He looked down at the goggles in his hand and it hit him.

"I need to hide my identity from Vlad," Danny said, nodding. "That's what Theo was trying to say to me before he was interrupted. Its better the man doesn't know about me until the right time comes."

Smiling to himself, the ghost boy wrapped the goggle strap around his neck and then brought the lenses over his eyes. Snapping his makeshift mask into place, Danny couldn't help but feel the familiar mix of anticipation and excitement as it churned in his stomach and traveled throughout his body. He pulled on his backpack while looking up at Bob. The blob looked worried but not afraid of what was to come.

"Okay, Bob," Danny told his new friend while holding up his laser gun, "Let's bust Theo out of here."

A/N: I just love Bob. I should draw a picture of him for you readers. The next update should be next weekend. See you readers then!


	3. Chapter 3 Elevator Escape

A/N: Whew! Finals are finally done along with my vocabulary and Hamlet test. All that is left is a simple 5 paragraph essay for Hamlet. Amazing how a few months of AP English can turn a scary essay into something considered an easy A. It is a hard class, but it sure does prepare you for any kind of assignment. If you can, take the class if you're in high school. It helps…a lot! But enough about me. Hope you guys like the chapter. It's fast paced, just how you readers like it!

Disclaimer: Anything Danny Phantom is not mine. Theo, which is not Danny Phantom, is obviously mine.

Chapter 3 Elevator Escape

For the hundredth time that night, Theo let out a long and deep breath. His brown eyes scanned the room he was in. He had been in one of these kinds of rooms millions of times before, but he had always been on the other side of the metal table before him. He had always been the onlooker.

The square room was small, like any other interrogation room in history. It had white walls and indigo blue tiles for the floor and ceiling. A plain metal table was set in the middle of the room. Theo was seated in a chair on the door side of the table. Another empty chair was on the other side. That one was for Vlad.

Letting out another pent up breath, Theo observed the tools set on trays on the other side of the room. He could see the knives and scalpels gleaming in the blaring lights from the ceiling. Various other equipment meant for torture and interrogation was lined up perfectly on the trays as well. A few syringes were placed on their own tray. Their tiny needles were an ominous thought all by themselves.

Theo's stomach twisted at the thought of Vlad's cruel methods of getting information out of people. He had to let out another breath to clear his head. He couldn't do this to himself. He couldn't lose hope even though it looked so far gone. He needed to stay calm and collected for himself. One of Theo's greatest fears was panicking. Everything would be lost if he did that now.

"Why do they have to make me wait?" Theo asked himself quietly as he shifted in his chains. The binds were attached to his hands and feet that were connected with both the floor and the legs of the chair. The demigod wasn't going anywhere by his own means.

Trying to keep himself sane, Theo avoided looking at the video camera in the corner. He closed his eyes and let his forehead rest on the edge of the table. He could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest and his breaths begin to shorten. The process made blood rush through his ears, making the scarred one tingle. It was a bitter reminder of when Ra branded him for his own so many years ago. Theo had vowed never to have someone else control him that day. But now it looked like that vow would be broken.

Theo opened his eyes to see his hands shaking slightly in his lap. It was the first signs of panic. It took everything in the young man to keep himself steady as tears welled up in his eyes. Everything he had worked and lived for these past 50 years was about to fall apart by Vlad's hands. It was hard not to give up and succumb to hopelessness, but Theo held on.

The sound of the automatic door swooshing open made Theo jump. He watched with wide eyes of surprise as Bob flew into the room with some familiar stranger right behind him. It took Theo a second to see past the blue tinted goggles and to recognize his old friend.

"Danny?" Theo hissed in a mix of anger, surprise, and relief. "What in the Underworld are you doing here? _How_ did you get here? Why are you in human form?"

Rushing to Theo's side, Danny explained in a rush, "Bob showed me your stash of weapons and led me the way here. Did you know he can disable a retina scanner in less than a minute? You should be thanking him more than me for getting you out of here."

"Thanking you?" Theo said; suddenly back to his old self. "How can I thank you when you're ruining the whole plan by showing yourself to Vlad! There are cameras all over the place! He's probably seen you a thousand times by now!"

"Cool it, cat boy," Danny snapped back as he took out the dagger from his belt and put the laser gun on the table. "I got it under control." He looked over the dagger for a second before pressing a button on the hilt. He smiled when the blade suddenly sparked with electricity. He knew there had to be something special and futuristic about it. He hadn't read all those crazy Sci-Fi books Sam gave him a year ago for nothing.

"How?" Theo asked incredulously.

Bob answered with his own language and pointing at Danny's goggles. Theo opened his mouth to tell them they were idiots, but he stopped in mid thought. He hadn't recognized the ghost boy at first. Vlad wouldn't remember the kid after 50 years. Daring a smile, Theo said, "Then I guess this scheme of yours wasn't totally brainless."

"It wasn't my plan to rescue you," Danny said. He nodded toward Bob before saying, "Now hold still. I'm going to cut off your chains with whatever this knife thing is."

Theo turned his head toward Bob in question. "You know the plan, Bob," he reprimanded the blob. "The Rebellion doesn't even expect us till some time tomorrow. We can't just show up at one of their bases at three in the morning with Danny in tow. This is insane!"

"Oh shut up," Danny muttered from where he was kneeling and carefully cutting through the thick iron chains with his knife. The electricity on the knife melted the metal away at a fast rate, but Danny had to put all his weight against the blade to push it through. If he went too quickly, he would cut right through Theo's wrist.

"You just don't like his plan because its not one of your reckless ones," Danny said once he felt Theo's narrowed eyes on him. "You'll get over it eventually," Danny added with a hint of a smirk.

"My plans aren't reckless!" Theo said in denial.

Both Danny and Bob looked at each other with disbelieving looks.

"Okay," Theo admitted, "So maybe they are a bit…brash. But that doesn't mean that they are not well thought out."

"Sure," Danny said with a skeptic look, "Whatever you want, dude." He held up a large chunk of metal from the chains for Theo to see. "One down and three to go."

Careful not to burn himself, Theo wiggled out his hand to free it. He lunged forward with it to grab Danny's laser gun on the table. His wounded side gave him a flash of grief, but he ignored it as he twisted in his chair to aim at the door that was still open to the hallway outside. "Take your time, ghost boy," he told Danny. "I'd like to come out of here with all my limbs."

"You'll know if I mess up when you hear oops," Danny said as he threw away the piece of the second shackle around Theo's other wrist. He then moved down to the ankles.

Suddenly an alarm went off, making all three jump. Danny almost lost his grip on the blade at the sudden piercing noise, but he righted it soon after. He worked quickly on the last two shackles, the alarm barking down his back the whole time. It was hard not to hurry when you knew the blare was for you specifically. But eventually he cut Theo free.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Theo ordered them as soon as he was liberated. He lifted his pant leg to reveal a metal ring around his ankle. Taking quick aim, he shot at the device attached to him. The laser sizzled through the thin metal and the thing came off.

"What was that for?" Danny asked as they ran out into the hallway of level 32. He let Theo take control again. The demigod was born to play as the leader.

"That was to keep my powers at bay so Vlad could keep me in line," Theo explained with a happy grin. "I hated that dumb thing!"

"You there, stop!" someone commanded as soon as the boys entered a cross section of hallways. Theo didn't bother to obey the order and just blasted down the hall at full sprint speed. Danny glanced down the other hallway to see who it was. He was surprised to see that it was the leading guard who had taken Theo away. He was alone, but he did wield a dangerous looking gun.

"This way!" Theo shouted as he bolted down another hallway. He pulled Danny with him because the boy had been going too fast to switch directions swift enough. Bob had to put on the brakes and backtrack to catch up with the team.

"Theo! Stop!" the guard shouted as he ran after the boys. It didn't matter if the guy begged the boys; the three were getting out of the Tower that night even if their lives depended on it. The poor guard that would get blamed for their escape was just one casualty.

_BAM!_

The explosion of the wall a few yards ahead of them was so sudden that the boys had little to no time to react. They skidded to stops while covering their heads with their arms. A massive heat wave pushed both boys off their feet. Even the guard behind them that had fired the shot got pushed back a few paces as he covered his face with his arm that wasn't holding the gun.

Smoke filled the cramped hallway after the fire had died down. Theo was instantly blinded by the gray cloud that stung his eyes and lungs. Bob was in the same position as the blob coughed by Theo's side.

Fortunately Danny's goggles made him able to see perfectly. He got to his two shaky feet with his ears ringing after the blast. He grabbed Theo's arm and guided both him and Bob out of the choking substance. It didn't take long for them to get out and for Theo to lead them once again.

"We need to ditch this guy!" Theo told Danny as they ran side by side down the hall. Danny looked over his shoulder to see the lead guard coming after them. The guy had that look of determination set in his dark green eyes. He wasn't going to give up chasing them any time soon.

Danny took the bag full of silver balls from his belt and shook out two of them into his palm. He suddenly stopped and turned around while throwing the balls at the guard. The teen didn't wait around to see what the things did. He quickly put the speed back on as he ran to catch up with Theo.

A second later an explosion rocked the hallway once again. The floor vibrated from the blast under Theo's and Danny's feet. The heat wave then knocked the two off their feet and flying forward. Theo managed to gracefully roll back to his feet as if he had meant to fall. Danny, on the other hand, had never gotten nominated for his elegant antics and had to be dragged back to his feet by Theo and shoved onward to get back in the game.

"Next time give me a bit of a warning, kid!" Theo shouted into Danny's ringing ear.

"You said to get rid of the guy!" Danny yelled back. "You're not the only one who works on impulse!"

They turned the corner to find an open elevator door directly ahead. It was one that was on the outside of the Tower. It was shaped into a half circle with glass window panels, so the rider could see the city as they either ascended or descended the Tower.

Theo and Danny sprinted toward the elevator while hearing the guard finally gaining on them. They had lost him for only a moment. But it didn't matter. The three got to the elevator in time. The doors were already closing when they saw him turn the corner. In the last second of the closing doors, they saw the man take aim at the elevator with his gun.

"Get down!" Theo ordered. Danny had learned from his past adventures with Theo that it was always best to obey his commands. He hit the deck and waited for the blast that would come.

The whole elevator lurched as the explosion from the guard's gun pounded on the closed doors. Danny's wide eyes took in the dent in the door from the blast. The whole control panel had been shot. It sparked, and its light fluttered as it tried to hold onto its life. Danny observed the frightening fact that whenever the lights flicked off the elevator dropped slightly. Futuristic elevators weren't held up by cumbersome cables, Danny disturbingly found out.

The lights on the control panel flickered one more time before dying out completely. Both Theo and Danny screamed as the floor dropped out from under them. Bob was so scared he flew into Theo's pocket to hide. Danny felt like he was in some kind of vortex. The city lights seemed to zip by as they plummeted downward.

Theo had to put his head together or they were going to die soon. Level 32 wasn't very high on the Tower. They only had a few floors till they were like squashed bugs.

Letting his power flow through his him, Theo put out both his index and middle and pushed them into the round window wall. The glass melted with his touch. He quickly made a circle with his fingers, pulled them out, and kicked the melted circle outside.

Danny had been watching his friend and knew what he wanted. He let the bright white rings take over his body as he transformed into his ghost form. He had avoided this form in the hallways because the DP sign on his chest was a dead giveaway to Vlad who he was.

"Hang on tight!" Danny ordered Theo as he grabbed his friend by his shoulders. He blasted out of the hole Theo had made with a few floors to spare. Once out, Danny didn't look back as he kept his speed. He flew upward so he was above the city. The lights, sounds, and smells hit him like a brick wall. It made him nervous and exhilarated all at the same time.

"Set us down on a rooftop," Theo ordered through clenched teeth. Carefully, Danny angled himself downward and let his friend go once they were close to a solid floor of a rooftop. Theo landed with a wince and placed a hand on his side with the wound.

"You okay?" Danny asked Theo the standard question as he landed next to him.

"I think I tore my wound back open," Theo explained. He lifted his shirt up to take a look. Sure enough, the patch covering his laser gun wound was starting to soak up some blood.

"Does the future have hospitals?" Danny asked with an anxious chuckle.

"Funny you say that," Theo said with a wry grin.

"Wait! Are you telling me this city doesn't have a hospital?" Danny asked in astonishment.

"No public ones, if that's what you mean," Theo said. "Vlad isn't the kindest tyrant, you should know by now."

"That's unbelievable," Danny muttered. He was suddenly aware of how bleak this time period was in. It was almost disgusting.

"The Rebellion is filled with doctors and people who know how to heal others," Theo said. "They'll know how to fix it up. No worries, dude."

"Then let's get to these Rebellion guys as soon as possible," Danny said. "You know the way, right?"

"Um, I know how to get to one of their bases," Theo said with some uncertainty in his voice. "No one actually knows how to _really_ get to the Rebellion, though."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked with confusion sweeping over his face.

"You'll see," Theo said with a grim smile.

-Hour Later-

"Why is one of their bases an abandoned church building?" Danny asked Theo as he helped his friend up the stone carved stairs to the entrance of the old thing. It was a few floors high with faded and dusty stain glass window panels that had originally been set into a delicate pattern of a cross. But now most of them were smashed and only posed at doors for the pigeons that housed in the rafters.

The reason why Danny could distinguish the difference between the other buildings and the church was the fact that covered in ivy leaves were the words _Church_. Of course, the whole name of it was there, but years of decay and growing of the plant had twisted the letters and wording so it was impossible to tell what it was unless you stared at it long enough.

"When Vlad took over, he banished all religions," Theo explained. He held tightly onto Danny's shoulder for support as they took one step at a time. The demigod was clearly in pain because of his wound, but he pushed through.

"It wasn't surprising that most members of the Rebellion ended up being religious people wanting to keep their practices of their faith," Theo continued. "It's kind of ironic, really. I read that for years people had been fighting because of their different religions. But when Vlad outlawed religion, for the first time in history all those people put their differences aside and came together because of their beliefs in an afterlife and or way of life. So meeting these guys at an old Catholic church is natural. Sometimes they still illegally have mass on a few Sundays a year. It's a good way to get rebellious people together and to recruit one or two for the Rebellion."

"If everyone hates Vlad so much, why aren't there more people in the Rebellion? Why isn't the whole world a Rebellion?" Danny asked.

Theo didn't answer him at first as he pondered the answer. He moved aside a rotting plank of wood that was covering the only entrance he knew of in the building. It was a tiny hole in the cemented off door. The boys had to crawl through it to get into the dark insides of the church.

Danny kept his silence as he let his eyes adjust to the semi darkness. They were still in the city, so lamp posts and other flashing lights managed to spread some of their glow into the building by the broken windows. He seemed to deflate at the sight of the inside of the building. It was worse than the outside. The broken pews were covered with dust and bird droppings from where they nested high above. Everything looked old and dead. It was a sad sight.

Even though Danny wouldn't call himself very religious, he knew that his time period's culture very much was. He had been to different churches over the years because of family members or friends inviting him, so he knew what they were like. He never got too emotionally involved with any religion, but this was hard on him. It was like a whole way of life had been wiped out from Vlad's cruel hand.

"I think the reason why many didn't revolt when Vlad took over was because he had them in fear from the start," Theo finally said quietly. "He came into this world with the other gods and goddesses without any hesitation. They just terrorized and killed off as much as they could. It was merciless. People panicked and fear was universal. It wasn't till a decade or so ago that the anger set in because of what he'd done. And only a few know how to put that passion to good use."

"How was the Rebellion started?" Danny asked.

Theo smiled at the thought. "You better save the questions for after you meet them," he said. "I'm not an expert when it comes down to these things. Actually, most of the time Vlad had me locked up somewhere and I didn't get to see what happened. For three years he had me in solitary confinement once. Slowest and worst three years of my life!"

"Sounds like fun," Danny said sarcastically.

"Oh, very much so," Theo shot back with as much sarcasm. "I think at one point I had a make believe friend, but I can't remember much. After a while you try to suppress those kinds of memories." He saw Danny's grin and growled, "This _never_ goes outside you and Bob! Got that, ghost boy?"

"Whatever you say, dude," Danny said with a chuckle. "Where is Bob?" he asked after a pause.

"The lazy blob is sleeping in my pocket," Theo answered with the roll of his eyes. "He passed out back at the elevator. He doesn't take high stress level situations very well. Wimp." They grinned at each other.

Danny opened his mouth to say something but was cut off when something was thrown into the hole in the door. It clanked in the darkness, sending an eerie echoing off the walls of the church. A canister rolled to a stop between Danny and Theo. For a fleeting second the two looked up at each other with dread. Then the thing went off.

Purple gas exploded from the canister between them. In seconds the building was filled with the blinding smoke. Danny and Theo were blind the moment it went off. They tried to find each other, but it was pointless.

Danny felt a bunch of arms grab him a second later. A bag was thrown over his head as something that felt like handcuffs clicked into place around his wrist that had been forced behind him. He struggled in the firm grip of the people dragging him somewhere, but he was blind, disoriented, and cuffed. He had no chance of escaping with his ghost powers because something had cut them off to his frustration. The only thing he could do was be led by these mysterious kidnappers.

Both boys were dragged and pushed out of the building somehow. They stumbled in the darkness of the hoods over their heads. They had no clue where they were going, only that it wasn't how they got in. At the end they were roughly shoved into some vehicle and heard the door slam shut behind them as they took in the cool metal of the floor.

Danny felt his stomach tighten as he felt the barrel of some gun press against his shoulder blades. Someone shouted for him to sit up and he obeyed as best he could with his hands cuffed behind him. He was shoved into a seat and felt Theo fall in next to him with a shout of surprise.

There was a brief pause. Danny could feel his heart pound heavily in his chest as he gasped for breaths. Air was sparse in the black void of the hood. All his comforting senses had been thrown out the window. It was hard for him to keep the fear in him at bay.

In a flash the hoods were snatched off their heads. Danny blinked a few times to get used to the dim light of the vehicle along with Theo. The boys looked up after the second adjustment. A woman was standing in front of them with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face.

"Welcome to the Rebellion boys," she said with a sardonic chuckle.

A/N: Don't you guys just love cliffhangers? I couldn't help but leave this chapter off as one. Sometimes I can't resist. Next week hopefully I'll update. I need to watch some more Danny Phantom to get back into the ghost spirit. I haven't seen a single episode in weeks! I hate it how Nick doesn't play that show enough. I'm gonna have to go online to watch it now. They also need to play more Avatar. Those two shows are the best but are rarely played. It disgusts me. Oh well. See you guys next week hopefully.


	4. Chapter 4 Bug Flush

A/N: Sorry it took me the whole weekend to get this out. I've been reading in an out of control rate lately. That's what you get when you come across a brilliant book series. Ever hear of the Bartimaeus trilogy? Well, it's my new reading obsession. Go check it out if you haven't already done so. Okay, so let's get on with the chapter. It's a bit short and more of a filler, but I liked it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom!

Chapter 4 Bug Flush

"Nova, is this really necessary?" Theo asked the woman before him and Danny.

"Ah, Theo, how many times do we have to have this conversation?" Nova asked with a wicked grin. She had brown hair cut up to her ears that had a good number of piercings in them. She was short but tough looking with harsh, dark brown eyes that had a satisfied gleam in them. She liked her job a little too much.

"You think Vlad is paranoid," Theo told Danny beside him. "You've just met his competitor."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, thoroughly scared and confused at this point. "Does the Rebellion _always_ kidnap their members at stranded church buildings?"

Nova laughed at Danny's perplexed question. "Who are you, punk?" she asked the ghost boy while raising her laser gun to his forehead. She smiled again when seeing him squirm under pressure.

"I-I'm Danny Phantom," he answered with a nervous smile.

Nova's smile instantly faded and dropped into a serious frown. Her eyes narrowed as she shot her deadly gaze over to Theo. "What did he say?" she growled at the demigod.

"Look," Theo tried to explain before the girl blew his head off with her weapon, "He just got here from his time period in the past. I know the plan was to bring him in a few days from now, but Vlad was going to ruin the whole mission. We had to get out of the Tower right away. I know this is way ahead of schedule, but I weighed the options and decided Danny's secrecy from Vlad is better than anything else right now."

Nova looked back and forth between Theo and Danny, either thinking hard or trying not to blow up with anger. Finally she pulled out a communicator from a belt wrapped around her shoulder and barked into it, "Change of plans, ladies and gentleman. Bruce, don't go anywhere near the compound until I give you the right away. Ladies, we need to debug these two boys, so get back here now!"

"Debug?" Danny asked Theo.

"This isn't gonna be fun," Theo muttered. Danny noticed his ears drop with weary.

The vehicle they were in didn't have any windows in the compartment Danny and Theo were seated in. It was all the way in the back. A door behind the boys opened and three other girls that looked to be around Theo's and Nova's age piled into the back. They hauled in some high tech equipment with them and set it all in front of the two guys. Danny wondered if he should be worried or flat out freaked.

First a girl swiped a wand over the guys. It made a static beeping sound around anything metal, so Danny guessed it had to be some futuristic metal detector. The group of women worked fast as they searched for anything suspicious on both of the guys. One even searched through Danny's white hair as if probing for lice or something.

"Ghost kid is clean," the girl who had been checking his hair announced after a minute or two of searching.

"Good," Nova said with a nod. "How 'bout cat boy, here?"

"Clean, but I'd like to check his stomach," the main girl checking him said. "I found some low impulses coming from there."

"You gotta be kidding me!" Theo shouted in protest. "How could Vlad put one of his bugs in my stomach again? I check my food _all_ the time now since the last one!"

"We take no chances, Theo," Nova stated. "You can figure it out later on."

One of the girls brought up another wand that acted as an X-ray screen. It had a thick cord connected to a bulky generator type thing on the floor. Danny watched all this with curiosity now. The searcher lifted Theo's shirt and paused when seeing his bloody wound.

"We have a situation over here," the girl told Nova.

"What now?" Nova snapped back impatiently.

"He's wounded…badly," the girl answered.

"Search his stomach first," Nova ordered. "He can get patched up later on."

"You're too kind," Theo muttered.

"I try," Nova said with a triumphant grin. Apparently she hadn't gotten the hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Yeah, he has a bug in there," the girl said. "We're gonna have to flush him."

"Oh great," Theo complained.

Nova's grin widened at this news. She bent over the girl's shoulder to get a good look at the bug in Theo's stomach. "Yep," she concluded. "That's a bug alright. Flush him."

"Bottom's up, Theo," a girl from behind the demigod said as she pulled his head back and poured some foul smelling liquid down his throat. She only gave him what he needed and let him go. The girl was the youngest and the only sweet one of the bunch. If it had been Nova giving him the liquid, she would have given him the whole bottle.

"What is that supposed to do?" Danny asked. He felt like he was back in Ancient Greece again with the demigod, always the one to question. It was frustrating him to no end. He hated to be in the dark.

The group ignored the question as they prepared for Theo's "flush". They ran around the dimly lit cabin in the back of the moving vehicle looking for something important and yelling things at each other. Danny just watched Theo. The poor guy looked like he was sick as he waited nervously on his seat.

"GET THE FREAKING BUCKET!" Nova was screaming at the others. "I do NOT want his dinner all over my floor!"

A second later a blue plastic bucket was placed at Theo's feet. It was just in time, because a moment later Theo bent over, dry heaved once, then threw up into the thing. Danny turned away with his tongue sticking out in disgust. He now knew what flush meant.

"Come on, cat boy, let's get that bug out of you," Nova said sharply to Theo as she watched him vomit again.

"Ug! It doesn't want to come out," Theo mumbled back as he wrapped his arms around his aching stomach.

"Stop complaining," Nova barked down, "And keep up the vomiting."

It took five minutes of pure puking for Theo to finally throw up the bug. There was a lot of shouting of orders and screams as the thing came out. Danny watched with wide eyes as the bug, which actually was a bug, made a squealing and clicking sound as it tried to climb out of the bucket. The thing was maybe the size of a dime with little spindly legs and tiny eyes. It was a robot spider!

"Get it!" Nova ordered. One of the girls dove down with a gloved hand and picked it up with her index finger and thumb. It hissed angrily at her as she held it out away from her body. Suddenly it bit her. She screamed while letting it go in her flash of panic.

"It's loose!" someone shouted. "Get it into this chamber!" She put down a large metal box with a glass opening that was open so they could shove the little metal spider into it.

"Don't let the thing get away!" Nova said before lunging for the thing that was now crawling up the walls. It showed its agility as it hopped off the wall and out of Nova's clutches at the last second. It quickly skittered across the floor with menacing clicking sounds.

For a good few minutes, the cabin was busy trying to corner and capture the little beast but with no avail. Any time the girls managed to pick it up, it would bite and crawl its way free. It was a worthy opponent.

Finally Danny saw his chance. He held the chamber box steady with one foot then swept the robot creature into the chamber with his other foot as it crawled near. "Close it!" he told one of the girls there. She snapped the glass door closed and was quick to press a button on the device. Instantly the box turned cold. The robot bug screamed in pain as it began to freeze to "death". When it finally did get killed off, the whole cabin let out sighs of relief.

"That was enough fun for one day," Danny muttered for all to hear.

-A Few Hours Later-

The slick, black metal was cool under his bare touch. Danny held his Clockwork necklace out in front of him with a serious and contemplative look in his now blue eyes. He stared at his glossy reflection silently. All he had to do was take it off and all this weight pressing down on his shoulders would be gone. But would the crushing weight of guilt outweigh this heavy burden?

The moment he and Theo had arrived at the Rebellion's main building they had been separated. Theo had been ushered quickly to a sick bay for medical attention to his wound while Danny was swept away to a room that reminded him of those interrogation ones he would see on TV for crime shows and such. He hadn't been too far off with his comparative.

After a few minutes of him rubbing his chafing wrists that had finally been released from their binds when the girls set him in the room, someone had come in to see him. With a few protests and weary sighs, Danny was forced to complete hundreds of written tests so the Rebellion could tell what time period he was from and what other experiences he had under his belt. They were long and boring, but he did get through them. He was testy from then on, though. The Rebellion seemed to be that kind of organization that was built on paperwork. How Theo put up with them baffled the teen.

Finally, after all the tests had been completed and turned in to the man who had given them to him, the man came back with the results. The guy was tall and slim with short blonde hair and sharp gray eyes that aggressively made contact with the ghost boy's the second he walked into the room. He had an air of controlled power with him. Danny noticed he sat up straighter every time the man came into the room.

"Well, Mr. Fenton," the man, Mr. Mandrake, had said to the boy, "The Rebellion has decided to keep you. I admit that you are not as old as we wanted, but we believe you have enough control and experience over your powers and should be able to help us." He had flashed the boy a white smile then said, "But to be able to help us, you must first know us and the world you are about to embark into."

"What do you mean?" Danny had hesitantly asked the obvious question.

To his dismay, Mr. Mandrake pressed a button on the sliding door to the room, and three other Rebellion lackeys walked into the room with arm loads of big, thick books and files of papers. They set them down on the table before Danny's seat. This whole time Danny had looked dispassionately at the information getting piled before him. His stomach felt sore from the very thought of all this history he knew he was going to have to read.

"This," Mandrake had said with a chuckle of pity for the poor boy, "Is all the information you need to know about the past 50 years under Vlad's and the other god's and goddesses' rule. I'd advise you to take your time. Don't get too overwhelmed, kid. You won't have to be quizzed on it or anything. It's just better you know the territory before you just go running into it."

The man noticed the boy's look of brain lock with a grim expression. He shooed the assistants away with a simple wave of his hand. Once the three had left the room the man walked over to the stacks of books and rummaged through them. He picked up a book close to the top, dusted it off, and then lowered it for Danny to take.

"Start here, Danny," he had told him with something of a sympathetic frown. "It is about the first 48 hours of panic of the first ghost attack on a global basis. It will be hard to read and more difficult to digest for someone who wasn't actually there when it happened. But it is a good start."

Danny's eyes had lifted, daring to make that connection with Mandrake's. "Were you there when it happened?" he asked. He didn't know why he had asked the question. Mr. Mandrake looked only to be in his late 20's. The first attack had been 50 years ago.

There had been a pain in those gray eyes as Mr. Mandrake had answered emotionlessly, "Yes." Danny was surprised by this answer, but he didn't ask anything further as he had hesitantly received the book.

Danny had then been escorted to a room for him to sleep in for the night. It had been filled with creaky metal bunk beds with thin and rotting blankets. It was a dismal sight for the boy as he had been left there on his own. At first he had just stared at the room as if distant from it and the world it was in. It took the ghost boy some time to finally flash back into his human form and pick a bed.

To quiet his mind he had opened the book Mandrake had given him. The pain and suffering on the words and pages that followed only left Danny feeling lonely and sorrowful. It was only when he put the book down that he realized what the Rebellion was asking of him.

They not only wanted him to save the world, but to cure it from its long time of torment.

He wasn't so sure he could do it.

So it was back to staring at his necklace. This was his decision. He could easily just yank it off and be done with this place and its hopeless dreams of salvation. What made the teen so sad was the fact that he longed and wanted to give up. For once he wanted to be able to take the easy way out.

"Hey, ghost boy," Theo's voice said from the doorway suddenly.

Danny shot his head up while dropping the necklace to the protective place close to his chest. Theo was leaning against the wall next to the door. He was in a different outfit now. A blue T-shirt covered his chest and some baggy tan shorts had a hole in the back for his lion tail. It now hung lazily, showing Danny that the demigod was calm and relaxed for the moment. By tomorrow morning it would be back to its snappish and regular movements.

"You okay now?" Danny asked.

"I still feel a bit sick from my flush, but you know me. I bounce back," Theo said quietly. There was a pause between them. Danny avoided eye contact. How long had Theo been watching him? Did he know how close Danny had been to ripping that necklace off?

"I hope the tests weren't too bad," Theo said to break through the awkward silence. "I told them they were stupid, but the Rebellion is a bit picky about their paperwork. They are obsessed with documenting everything."

"Really?" Danny asked with a sarcastic raised eyebrow, "I didn't notice."

Theo gave a small smile before sitting beside his friend on the bed. It squeaked profusely under the new weight. Nervously, he scratched the back of his neck from habit. Danny waited for him to spit the words out. Theo could be so brave and fearless in the face of danger, but when it came down to speaking his feelings he was a bit of a wimp. Danny found himself smiling from the irony of it.

"Hey, thanks for coming with me, dude," Theo finally said. "You didn't have to, you know, but you did. And these next few weeks I know are going to be tough, but this is the closest to victory the Rebellion has ever gotten. After years of losing, we need this win."

Danny gave a shrug before asking, "So what comes next?"

Theo grinned. "We get off this stinking Terra, is what we're gonna do," Theo said. "We're going to leave the crowded city behind!"

"What Terra are we going to first?" Danny asked. "You're the map expert. You pick the course."

"I was thinking of starting with Dionysus," Theo thought out loud, "But that might be a bit too difficult. But then again, so are all the other gods and goddesses. But first we have to pick up a package or something from an island Terra near here. The Rebellion says the package will be crucial to stopping the gods." He shrugged in his own way of showing confusion.

"How are we going to get to each Terra?" Danny asked. Again with the questions. He was glad Theo was in a good mood right now to answer them. "I read that a Terra was a floating chunk of earth ruled by a god and or goddess. And I also read that most of the technology was wiped away by Vlad. You guys don't have air planes anymore. How else are we gonna get there? I'm sorry, but I refuse to fly us to each Terra."

Theo stood up, his grin never leaving his face. "Just sit back and try to get some sleep," he told the teen. "Tomorrow all those questions will be answered." He took a bed next to Danny's, put his arms behind his head in a very relaxed manner, and drifted off to sleep.

Danny looked on enviously. He wasn't going to sleep any time soon. That night he was left to his own tormenting thoughts as he stared up at the bed above him. At some point his exhausted mind faded to darkness, but it wasn't as comforting as he had wished it to be.

A/N: Don't expect any update with this fic until two weeks from now. With a new semester comes a new weighted course. Intro into genetics is fun, but thinking non stop about DNA is driving me crazy. I can't create a new chapter every week for two fan fictions, so I'm alternating between the two every week. Next week is a new chapter for Soul Searching. Week after that is one for this fic, and etc. And I promise a plot line will show up by next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5 The Package

A/N: Somehow this chapter came out longer than I thought it would be, but I don't care at this point. You guys don't seem to mind long chapters, anyways. Nothing much else to say but thanks for the reviews. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All Danny Phantom characters are not mine. The plot, ideas, and other characters are.

Chapter 5 The Package

"Stop looking like a tourist and run!" Theo barked back at Danny as they sprinted down the wooden planks like their lives depended on it…which was quite literal.

Danny tried not to look around and get distracted as he rushed after Theo's swift and fleeting form. Stuck in his human body, he felt weak and useless by laboriously running away. Once again he wondered how he had gotten into this mess.

The day had started out without breakfast and a three hour drive from the thick of the city to the shipping docks on the outskirts of the Terra. The Rebellion had given them directions and papers to their own boat waiting for them, fully stocked and loaded with provisions. They had orders to stop by an island Terra to pick up something vital to their mission. Danny's mountain load of books had been neatly crammed into a storage cube that was now in his jacket pocket. The wonders of the future were ceasing to amaze the teen.

To avoid rising panic or suspicion, the two had been given fake passports and identities for their own safety. Theo, with his cat ears, tail, and fur, was hard to hide from the public eye. A long, hooded cloak had kept all those bodily secrets concealed. The cat boy hated the hot and cumbersome disguise, but he knew the logic in it and suppressed his pile of complaints that were building up in his head.

Danny's disguise was easier to come up with. He looked like any normal human being walking around the city or shipping docks. Because his ghost side would arouse most of the specter sensor robots that flew around like policemen, he had been given a bracelet that prevented him from switching to and fro. At one end it prevented him from transforming quickly, but on the other, it kept all ghostly auras inside. With it on, he looked and felt like any average human.

To complete the look of average, the teen now wore some baggy jeans that looked like the old thing, but was more flexible and comfortable. Even cloths had improved. A white shirt was under an old, tattered tan jacket that was a little too big for him. He had rolled the sleeves up to his elbows to make it look personal and more fitting, but he only succeeded in getting a sharp laugh from his half sphinx friend. To top off the wardrobe, his blue tinted goggles were slung around his neck. Theo told him the goggles were in style, so he would fit in perfectly.

Their current situation had all started when they got lost and brought out Bob from somewhere under Theo's massive cloak. The thing had been chirping and arguing passionately with Theo with a map in their hands. After a few minutes of mass misunderstanding, Danny had given up with a sigh and stared out at the crowd and the sights.

He was amazed at how the people of the time had adapted to the world's demise when Vlad took over. The world of 2500 had lost practically most of its technology from the destruction the gods and goddesses brought. Now it was 50 years later, and they had adapted quite well to Danny's standards. His readings had told him that Vlad's Terra, which consisted of all cities, was the only one with withstanding technology, but Danny found the shipping docks packed full of innovative things that he could only dream up in Science Fiction novels and movies.

The one thing that caught his eye the most were the boats themselves. They weren't seafaring boats, if that is what comes to mind. They were likely to sink fast if placed in water if they traveled to Poseidon's Terra. No, these boats were meant for the sky.

The only main technology that had lived and survived through the tirade of Vlad and the other high powered ghosts was solar energy and the creation of solar cells. These solar cells were little solar panels implanted into fabric. With the right configuring, the cells in the fabric could generate power like any old electricity could. The only downside would have to be days without the sun, but people managed to improvise otherwise.

An average boat in the shipping dock consisted of the boat itself, which was made of wood or light metal. The boat included both the main deck and down below for living quarters. Using rope or any other flexible material like it, the boat was attached to large and round balloons created with this solar cell fabric. The giant hot air balloons kept the vessel aloft, while the solar cells powered the boat to propel it forward or any other direction the commander of it wanted. They were inventive creations to Danny's outdated mind.

Well, it was Danny's staring in awe that attracted a specter sensor robot. It wandered over to the trio. A soft and steady beeping was regulating the pulsation of ghostly auras in the area. It was programmed to search the auras on anyone standing around for too long in one area. That was what Danny was doing.

"Hey! Get out of here!" Theo's voice had suddenly interrupted Danny's thoughts. He looked down to see what Theo was talking to and stiffened when seeing the robot he had been warned about.

The robot had whirled a little warning as it scanned Danny in the flash of red light. The trio shared quick, worried glances after this. Danny didn't know about Theo or Bob, but he didn't put as much trust into his bracelet as he wished he could.

Switching to Theo next, the robot scanned him just as quickly. Danny breathed a sigh of relief. The robot hadn't detected anything from him. Theo would be okay too. He was a demigod, but he wasn't ghostly in any way. He was a different or special case.

The problem officially started when the robot scanned Bob. Being entirely made from ghostly and specter material, it produced havoc once the sensors on the robot went off.

With some cursing from Theo, the trio decided it was time to flee. Theo let Danny have the honors as the teen lifted a leg and kicked the loud and siren loving robot away with a grunt as the half sphinx ripped the dumb cloak off his shoulders with a flourish. The three glanced at each other, and then took off in a run. Police guards that looked like the ones from the Tower were right on their tails.

And that was how they ended up where they were now with the chase still on. Theo and Danny surged through the packed crowd of people. The planks under them bounced and clunked with each speedy footfall. Levers and pulleys swung and lifted loads of food and water high over their heads, emptying or stocking up whatever vessel that was there at port. The place was alive from markets selling fresh food and random trinkets. The crowd of people there to buy and sell helped the trio blend in.

"This way!" Theo called out to Danny as he suddenly took a harsh turn. Danny skidded to a halt and struggled to catch up with the young man. Bob was floating next to his head, having just as a hard time keeping in time to their cat friend.

They were now on a narrower walkway that lead to and intertwined sections of other docking around boats left at port. Danny looked down to see nothing but a sheer drop into the clouds that looked like scoops of vanilla ice cream drifting in the high powered wind. Biting his lower lip, Danny looked straight ahead and tried not to get battered off the dock because of the gusts of callous wind.

The police force had been distracted with the busy crowd. Now that less people were in their way, they were gaining on the three. They shouted orders and began to fire random shots in their direction with laser guns, but Theo successfully kept his team at a pace that put them out of their perilous hands.

Grinning despite the danger at hand, Theo paused to let Danny pass him before knocking over a few barrels and kicking them down the walkway. The police crew had some trouble bypassing the obstacle Theo created for them, but soon they were back on track.

Theo suddenly stopped at an intersection of precarious looking walkways. Danny was having a hard time not freaking out because of the plummet toward nowhere if he fell off at this height, but he managed to stop along with his friend and Bob. The demigod panted while looking sharply around to catch his bearings. His one cat ear swerved to catch the sound of a shout from the police guards following after them.

"Okay, here's the plan," Theo told Danny and Bob in a rush. His eyes were alight with the excitement of the chase. For some reason Danny could picture a smile on his friend's lips.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Danny asked him in astonishment.

Ignoring the accusation with a fleeting smirk, Theo said, "You run that way with Bob till you come to another intersection of docking. Make a loop back around with the police following you. I'm going to start up our boat and meet you here. Prepare to make a jump. Go!"

Theo put on a burst of speed as he ran one way. Danny hesitated, saw the police round a boat and spot him, and then dashed off the way Theo told him to go with Bob flying at his side. He made sure to keep the police behind him as he turned at the intersection and made his way back to his original location. When rounding the last corner, Danny stumbled in surprise of seeing Theo in their boat waiting for him at the edge of the narrow boat dock. How he got there so fast, Danny didn't have a clue.

The teen didn't look back at the pursuing police as he put on more speed. He looked straight ahead while sprinting across the wobbly planks. It looked like he was going to run right off the dock at the rate that he was going. At the last second he made a daring leap from the last plank. The jump had been calculated precisely. With the help of Theo's quick reflexes in guiding the boat and Danny's running momentum, the wooden deck captured the boy's fall.

"Hang on!" Theo shouted. He was at the back or stern of the boat where the controllers were. He pressed a button, pushed the throttle lever, and then hung onto the steering wheel as the ship blasted off into the open sky with the help of solar powered thrusters.

Danny gave a yelp as he rolled uncontrollably across the deck head over heels. It took him a few painful bumps on the head to get his senses back and put out a foot to steady and balance himself. His rolling came to a halt as his shoe gripped the rough and worn wood of the deck. The boy slowly got to his feet in a breathless manner. There had been so much excitement in such little time. How could he possibly deal with more?

"So what do you think?" Theo asked him from behind.

Danny smiled at the sight before him. Like as if he was out at sea, all he could see was sky instead of water. Their boat steadily flew past rolling and puffy clouds in an endless vast of blue and brilliant sky. It took the teen's breath away. It was even more spectacular than Vlad's massive city at the top of his Tower. Somehow everything had a peaceful and a careless feel to it. Danny felt like he could close his eyes and soak it up.

"No wonder you wanted to get out of the city so much," Danny said to Theo with a grin. "The city seems so gross compared to out here."

"I know," Theo agreed. "But don't think the sky has no troubles of its own. Old fashioned pirates are making a strong comeback these days. Then you got some Terra scouting boats patrolling different areas." His ears dropped with a sigh when looking behind them. "Then you got the police guards chasing you," he added grimly.

"I'll hang on tight," Danny told Theo without losing his grin. "You can go drive this thing away from them."

"You sail a ship, Danny, not drive it," Theo corrected with the roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," Danny responded as he latched himself to the side railings. "Just get us to this island without getting caught."

Grumbling complaints under his breath, Theo walked back to the controllers. He looked them over for a moment, glanced back at the advancing police boats, made some adjustments, and then shot off at break neck speed through the air.

Danny kept his arms around the railing as he watched the chase unfold behind them. His black hair ruffled in the constant blast of wind. The feeling was exhilarating as he observed Theo from where he stood steering the ship. The teen could see the spark of life in his friend's eyes as he threw the wheel at his command left or right to evade the police boats.

Theo was reckless but precise as he flew their boat through wet tangles of wispy clouds. At all times he was in control. Danny didn't know it, but he was playing the police guards the whole chase. The demigod knew the limits of his vessel and brought it close to them as he took sharp turns, flew high, dropped low, and all round left the police boats confused and disoriented.

Breaking out of a thick cloud, Danny spotted a patch of land coming up before them. Other clouds kept most of the island out of sight, but the one edge of it showing through had two dots standing there waiting for them. Danny found himself letting go of the rail and slowly making his way to the other side.

Theo slowed their ship down as they came down upon the edge of land. When they arrived by the two figures, Theo stopped the boat completely and ran to where Danny stood to greet the messengers waiting for them.

One of the messengers was a tall, thin lady. She had her white hair cut short. Her body looked old and frail, but her ice blue eyes held a stern, cold look in them that held a strength of their own as they made contact with Danny's and Theo's. She wore a long blue/black colored robe that flowed down her body and whipped in the wind.

Standing beside the old lady was a little girl of maybe six or seven years old. She had long jet-black hair put into two flowing pigtails. She was pale skinned with a little freckles splashed onto her cheeks. Her golden colored eyes were pinned on the ground. Her little form that clutched at the woman's side was clothed in a brown hand-strewn poncho and dark blue pants. On her shoulder sat a little white mouse that watched the boys with amused and calm interest.

"Where's the package?" Theo asked the woman after looking down at the girl and mouse. He didn't like where his mind was going. He hoped his answers to that question weren't right.

Danny brilliantly asked the dreaded question. "This girl is the package?" he shouted above the wind. "Please tell me that you're joking!"

"It will not give you any trouble," the woman said crisply. She eyed the boys with distaste before continuing. "It is quiet and keeps to itself. You will not have to worry about its protection. It has a Guardian that is capable of keeping it safe."

"You mean 'she'," Danny corrected. "The girl is not an 'it'."

Theo gave Danny a look that the teen had a hard time interpreting. The woman, on the other hand, flashed Danny a killing glare with her narrowed eyes that the boy understood right off the bat. He kept his mouth shut after this mess up of words.

"Look, lady," Theo tried to explain as politely as he could manage, "We don't know how to take care of a kid. Heck, we can barely keep ourselves alive at times. A five year old and her devious Guardian is not going to help us. Sorry." The mouse's eyes narrowed in anger. The girl stayed passive and silent, her eyes never leaving the ground.

"I had clear instructions to give her to you two," the woman snapped back in something close to a snarl. She took out some paper letters from inside her long sleeves and handed them to Theo. She lifted the little girl up and shoved her into Danny's arms forcefully. "I will not fail the Rebellion," the lady growled at them. "_You_ will not fail the Rebellion. Now go!"

The command was emphasized by the noise of one of the police guard boats blasting a siren at the sight of them. Theo was forced into action as he bounded back to his controllers to get their boat back into motion. He put the letters in his shirt to keep them from flying away and wearily put his mind back into the chase.

Danny clung onto the girl that had been put into his hands. Her little arms wrapped around his chest and her legs around his waist. She was a bit heavy, but Danny kept his balance as he put one hand around the girl and the other gripping the rail for support. His mind was a mess of confusion and fear. How were they going to take care of this kid?

An hour later, when Theo was sure the police were long gone; the demigod slowed the ship down to an easy pace and set it on autopilot. He rounded the control panel with his narrowed eyes on Danny and the girl. Bob, who was beside Danny, took in Theo's dark expression and cowered behind Danny's head with a chirp of fright.

"What is the meaning of this?" Theo exploded once he was standing before Danny and the girl in his hands. "Guardian! Speak!"

The mouse on the girl's shoulder jumped off its perch. In mid air it changed shape. Danny watched in wonder as the thing took the form of the old woman they had just talked to. The detail was amazing on the copy. Even the voice was spot on as it answered, "This girl is the package you were informed to pick up."

Theo was livid as he shouted back, "I don't care! Tell me why I have been assigned to baby sit this kid. Our mission is dangerous. I do not _need_ a kid lagging along the way. She might get killed."

The woman morphed into the form of Danny. The real Danny beside the Guardian gave a gasp of shock and took a step back. The Guardian ignored the response while giving its new face a smirk. "Now isn't that optimistic thinking. I'd put me out of a job. But after a few thousand years of work, I think I deserve a vacation."

Theo frowned at this new shape the Guardian had changed into. He changed tactics. "What is so important about this girl?" he demanded. "How long have you been her Guardian? What are your binds to her?"

"I would love to tell you, pal," the fake Danny said with a sneer, "But her powers I have been forbidden to explain. Stick around, though, and you might see them in action. As for the other questions," it sighed here in slight annoyance, "I've been taking care of a blood line for around 500 years. Lots of deaths, blah, blah, blah, and that's where this little girl comes in, the last of her kind for all I know. I was assigned to her at birth. She's six and half years old. So that makes me her Guardian for how many years? Come on. I know you guys are smart enough to get this one."

"For six and a half years," Danny answered the question dumbly. He was still a bit miffed by seeing himself in the Guardian's form. Theo shot him an annoyed look to shut up.

"Ah! Genius answer," the fake Danny said with a mocking grin. It leaned toward Danny and said sarcastically, "You must be the smart one of the group."

"Don't mess with him, slave," Theo ordered the Guardian. "He's not from this time period and has no clue what you are."

Interest flashed across the blue eyes of the fake Danny. "Really?" it asked while eyeing Danny up and down. "Let me guess. You're from the year 2020."

"Um…close. I'm from 2006," Danny answered. He shifted the little girl's body to his other hip and asked, "How did you guess so correctly?"

"Because you look like a dork," the Guardian answered matter-of-factly. Danny frowned at the insult, confused and outraged at the hostility the Guardian hade towards them. The fake Danny gave a laugh before adding, "And the fact that I worked for a Fenton for a year or two around that time period. It was a long time ago. Boring and uneventful. She dismissed me before she even died, the nice little kid did."

"My last name is Fenton!" Danny said with excitement.

"Really?" the other Danny said with as much enthusiasm. It then dropped the bright expression suddenly and said dully, "I don't care." Smirking back at Danny's hurt face, the Guardian changed into a jaguar cub. It was complete with extra fluff near the ears and neck. It licked a paw before calling over to the girl in Danny's arms with a more female voice, "Let's have a look around this dump, master."

The little girl slowly let go of Danny. The boy hastily set her on the wooden deck so she wouldn't fall from his arms. He watched with a perplexed air to him as the two wondered off to the latch door that lead to the downstairs quarters of the ship. The two walked through to check out below. The whole encounter with the Guardian was bizarre to the teen.

"Don't take it personal," Theo told Danny with a sigh. "All Guardians are that way."

"Why do they have to be so…rude?" Danny asked. He absentmindedly petted Bob with a finger when the thing landed in the palm of his hand. "And do they all change shape like that?"

"They are just cranky because they have to get pulled away from the ghost zone to guard over a human, demigod, or ghost till their master dismisses them or dies," Theo explained the nature of the thing. "They all come down to hating anything outside the ghost zone and all have their own sardonic form of humor. It probably just got a kick of winding you up like that. They are just evil little shape shifting ghosts looking for some spite and waiting till their master dies so they can go back home."

"Why keep them as body guards then?" Danny asked in confusion. The last thing he would want was a mouthy body guard that he had to put his trust in for his life. "Wouldn't they just let their masters die to go back home?"

"Well, they are bound to their masters," Theo said. "If that little girl is its true master, she can do whatever she wants with it. If she isn't satisfied, she could kill him at the snap of her fingers. It has to obey whoever it is bound to, which would be us now. Don't let it push you around."

Danny frowned at this. "Like I'm going to let it treat me like you do," he grumbled. "I already have one full time insulter. I don't need another."

"Oh, thanks," Theo retorted while shoving Danny roughly away. "You make me feel so much better."

Smiling slightly, Danny said, "I know." Walking toward the open latch to downstairs, he called back to Theo after a yawn, "I'm going to sleep. Wake me up when you need me."

"You'll wake up before then," Theo shouted back from where he was at the controls again. He grinned at Bob beside him as if to get extolment from him for his quick comeback. Bob gave a twitter of a laugh as Danny turned around and stuck his tongue out at both of them. "Real mature, Danny," Theo yelled at him before the boy disappeared going down the steps.

Theo sighed as he drummed his fingers on the wheel out of sudden boredom. Remembering something, his ears perked up. He took out the letters he had stuffed into his shirt that were from the woman. He flipped through the paper and saw that all of them were from the Rebellion, probably with more orders. His fingers paused as they came over one small letter mixed up with the others. It was from Rhodes.

"Hey, Bob?" Theo asked his blob friend. Bob had been idly floating around the controls and checking them out. He looked up from the mention of his name. "Can you go watch over the girl and her Guardian? Make sure they don't do anything…stupid."

Bob gave a mock solute, happy to have a worth while job and something to occupy his thoughts. He flew off to the downstairs to investigate their new guests. Soon it was only Theo on the deck.

Theo put the other letters back into his shirt for later and kept Rhodes's out. Somberly, he sat down at the controls and opened his treasure with numb hands. He hadn't heard from his precious wife for at least five months now. This piece of paper from her was special.

He began to read.

A/N: Sorry, readers, but what that letter said won't be revealed until a little while later, but trust me, it's significant. Next chapter will be the start of the appearance of the gods and goddesses. But what I really want to know is your views on my two new characters, the mysterious girl and her Guardian. Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be in two weeks. See you guys there!


	6. Chapter 6 Scouting Mission

A/N: What is with me and long chapters lately? I don't know. Readers, tell me if you don't like reading long chapters or not. If you don't mind, then this fic might stick with longer chapters. You guys have been great. Enjoy another chapter!

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom characters I don't own. Everything else is mine.

Chapter 6 Scouting Mission

"Rule one," Theo said, watching with disgust as his oatmeal dribbled off his spoon and onto his plate, "Danny never cooks breakfast again."

"Hey! I slaved over that stove thing for a whole hour trying to get whatever this thing made," Danny responded with haste. He didn't look like he had convinced himself with his words. When he shoved a spoonful of the gooey slime he had proclaimed as oatmeal into his mouth, his taste buds didn't even agree with himself. He resisted the urge to gag.

The whole group was in the galley of the ship for breakfast the next morning. Danny had decided to get his mind off everything by cooking breakfast for everyone. In his own time period he was a lousy cook. With new utensils and cooking methods in this future time period, he still sucked at the art.

They all sat at a round table in the middle of the small and cramped kitchen. Theo looked grimly at his plate before him. The little girl sitting on a few books in her chair to reach the counter beside him was sloshing her food around with a spoon. It looked like she was trying to come up with the guts to eat her meal. Theo wasn't even trying.

"Hm. I guess I should be thankful that Guardians don't need to eat to keep up their essence on Earth," the Guardian said as it looked down into its bowl of mush. It was in a form it seemed to favor the most. It was of a girl of maybe Danny's age or younger with brown hair cropped into a cute and spiky pixie cut. The features were sharp, and so were its gold eyes that looked very much like the girl's it was bound to protect.

The form looked a bit punk or gothic with multiple ear piercings, a small nose ring, and two eyebrow piercings on her left one. Dark eyeliner made her eye color pop out, almost so that they glowed. The rest of her clothing was something Sam would have worn, just without so much black. She looked more like a rocker chick than anything else.

They all looked up to see Bob digging passionately into his bowl. The little blob was gulping down its meal with gusto. The rest all made faces of revulsion while looking away. At least someone liked Danny's wretched cooking.

"So why have you called this meeting, captain?" the Guardian asked Theo, shooting its critical gaze toward the half sphinx.

"Don't call me captain," Theo ordered. "Just call me master or whatever you call people who have command over you."

"Suit your self," the Guardian said with a shrug. It was in a good mood that morning. It didn't feel like bugging the crap out of the others. It had the rest of the day to do that.

"We need to set up some rules," Theo told his crew. "We need order. Everyone on this boat should pitch in with chores, cooking, keeping watch, and navigating."

"Riveting," the Guardian said dully. Theo shot it a nasty scowl. Loving the results it produced, the shape shifter gave Theo a wink.

"Moving on," Theo growled, ignoring the annoyance, "Every one of us will have to mop the deck and clean the cabins at some point. Each week we'll rotate jobs. Right now I need to teach Danny how to steer the ship. Bob, you can cook since you seem like the only one who knows how to do it. You, Guardian, will be the first on chore duty."

"Big surprise there," the Guardian said with a disappointed sigh. "Hate mopping."

"Do you know how to cook?" Theo asked it hopefully.

The Guardian seemed to be offended by the question. It stood up with a huff while shouting, "Do I, the 6 thousand year old Guardian, know how to cook? I, Zaramama, who provided grain to those Incan followers for all those years _can_ cook, you pathetic Egyptian half sphinx demigod! You think I don't know what the people did with their grain or something? Ug! Go guard a stinky tomb!" With this it finally sat and crossed its bracelet covered arms to sulk.

Gawking at the boldness and audacity the shape shifting ghost possessed, Danny waited feebly for the inevitable. Bob had stopped his eating and was staring out over the protectiveness of his bowl. The little girl seemed uncomfortable as she looked back from Theo to her Guardian. She fidgeted nervously with the end of her poncho.

"I don't care how old you are, Guardian!" Theo exploded. "I don't want you talking like that to me or anyone else on this ship! Face it, ghost, you're a slave to this girl, Bob, Danny, and I! Now shut up and behave for once!"

"What are you going to do, _master_?" it sneered back. "I'll do whatever chore or action you want me to do. I'll even clean your filthy bathroom at the snap of your fingers. But you can't punish me for the words I say. Do what you like with me, but my thoughts and mouth are my own. I do what I want with them."

The table was silent again. Theo and the Guardian looked to be having a staring contest to see how long and how cold their glares could be. After a moment the Guardian seemed to abandon its heated emotions and got bored. It looked away and stirred its oatmeal absentmindedly. Theo sighed with the stress of having his plans go all awry with the addition of the little girl and the Guardian. But he was going to have to make the best out of it.

"Okay," Theo continued after running a hand through his hair, "Let's move on. The girl…whatever her name is, needs to do some chores too." He paused as if in thought. "Does she even have a name?" he asked no one in particular.

"What's your name?" Danny asked the girl with as much friendliness as he could muster. He wasn't that great around kids. They bugged him, so more than often he ignored them. But he had seen others treat them and remembered how his old Elementary teachers did and tried to mimic their methods.

She said nothing. Her golden eyes dropped to her bowl of cold oatmeal under their intent stares.

"I call her Melody," the Guardian said after a while.

"Yeah, but what is her real name?" Theo asked with another irritated sigh.

"She doesn't have a name," the Guardian answered. Distantly, the ghost explained, "After a while, the blood line got so sparse that to keep it up, people monitoring it had to breed the kids once they came of age. To make it less hard on their conscious, they didn't name the children."

"So why did you name her?" Danny asked. Something in his voice carried concern and interest.

The Guardian for once looked uncomfortable. For a moment it looked like it wasn't going to answer. It then said softly, "Not even a filthy human should be born without a name. Plus, I was bored one day and I didn't like calling her girl all the time. She looks like a Melody, doesn't she?" It smiled then.

"Then Melody it is then," Theo said with a nod. He turned to her and asked, "Do you know how to clean, Melody?" He was trying his hardest to be nice to the girl. Everyone was trying to crack her perpetual silence. Nothing was working.

"Nice try," the Guardian said flatly, "But I've only heard her talk once…and that was to order me to shut up."

"She should do it more often," Theo muttered. Bob and Danny grinned despite themselves. The Guardian didn't seem fazed. The comment told it was only succeeding in being the maddening pest it thrived to be. Theo was beginning to become an easy target. The shape shifter was busy deciding if it should move onto a more formidable opponent with its wits.

"She'll do anything you teach her to do," the Guardian told Theo. "The girl's smarter than what she lets on. Aren't you, master?" The Guardian grinned down at Melody and ruffled her hair. Danny thought it odd that the Guardian was nice to its master even though it hated to be a slave.

"Good," Theo said with relief. "Melody, you can start with the dishes. Bob will help you. Danny, you're coming with me. I'm going to teach you how to steer the ship. You, Guardian-."

Danny cut his friend off with a random question. "Why do we call it Guardian?" he asked Theo. "Doesn't it have a name? Slave and Guardian seems too…" He faded off in thought of the right word.

"Demeaning? Debasing? Degrading?" the Guardian asked without interest. "Yeah, it kind of is. But you humans don't care."

"I care," Danny said. The Guardian raised a questioning eyebrow, for once in its life speechless.

"You shouldn't, but at least you shut it up," Theo said to his friend.

"What's your name?" Danny asked, ignoring Theo for the moment. Maybe if the Guardian was met with kindness and equality it could act better. Too bad the Guardian had already figured out the boy's strategy. A Guardian's mind was way beyond a mere human's.

"I have many," the Guardian said. It eyed Danny for a moment, debating the temptation to give one or none. Succumbing to the good feeling of having a name and an identity, the Guardian said, "But my first was Zaramama. Call me Zara if you really want to." When the boys left to go up to the deck, Zara smiled faintly to herself. Even if it was a trick for her to behave herself, it still felt good. In addition, a more personal relation with Danny gave her so many chances to mess with his eager little mind.

-Days Later-

As a beautiful and elegant crimson feathered falcon, the Guardian Zara soared across the bland and empty land of Dionysus's Terra. She was glad to get off the ship with her masters, but her job was the average, boring scouting mission. She was to locate Dionysus, check out the scene, and then return to her masters with a report all in one day. They were crazy to think that she could do all that. Of course, she could, but that meant busting her butt.

"The only lazy Guardian is a dead one," Zara sighed as she banked into a strong air current. She had already spent half the day flying around looking for the god. She was sick of the same landscape. It was all grassy planes with trees dotted here and there. Where was the action? Where was the Dionysus she knew from so long ago?

A low and steady beat slowly started to pulse through the air. Smiling in falcon form, Zara changed her direction so she was heading toward the thumping noise. After only a few miles, Zara arrived at the activity. By now the bass beat of strong music was quick and loud like some kind of techno. Even from the sky, the Guardian felt the vibrations.

Zara circled the scene below her with mild interest. Dionysus was typical and predictable. But then again, he was never commended on his brain power. It was really quite pathetic in her eyes. But at least it wasn't boring grassy fields.

Dionysus's small empire made up of loud music, wild dancing, drinking, theater, and sex. The god hadn't even bothered with buildings. He had set out a few hundred acres for his dancers. Large sound speakers circled that area. The music probably had made all those zombie humans he had under his control deaf by now, but they would never notice till he took his spell off them. They were stuck in a perpetual world of dance, one big throng of bodies jumping and pulsating to the music that was now their lives.

Any normal person would have felt sadness for them. Zara only remembered when one of her demigod masters from the Ancient Greek days stumbled into one of these kinds of dance parties of Dionysus's. Despite Zara's warning to get out of there, the stupid kid had been instantly hypnotized by the god. After a few days of straight partying, the demigod had died from exhaustion. Zara had never been punished for not getting him out of there because he was too smashed to give her orders to do so.

Another area was for the drinkers. The god had constant supply of the alcohol drinks. Zara could see with her falcon eyes that the grass under the people was soppy and soaked with the sticky liquid. And still the people were talking and laughing insanely with each other, continuously drinking along the way. It was pitiable.

Zara already knew what was going on inside the one white large tent that had been set up. She wondered what Dionysus did with all the pregnant woman that came out of that tent. She guessed that the most likely answer was that no one lived beyond a few days in this place. No mere human could withstand days upon days of nonstop dancing and drinking with no sleep. She had already seen it happen with her one demigod master.

Last, but not least, was a cut out of the side of a large hill. Just like his old one, the hill side theater was perfect for the god's interest in performing arts. At the moment the stone seats and wide stage was empty of people.

Landing on the outskirts of the drinking area, Zara slipped into a human form. She was now a tall brunette with perfect skin and the perfect hourglass figure. She wondered if Dionysus fancied the modern skinnier girl because he was in the future, but decided not to waste time with more shape shifting. She had a job to do.

"I wonder how the boys would react if I showed them this form," Zara said to herself as she passed by a group of staring guys. "I should store that thought for a rainy day," she said with an evil grin. New masters always fell for those old tricks.

Dionysus wasn't in the drinking section, Zara found out after a few minutes of searching. Her instincts told her he was dancing, but she liked wasting some time. Finally she moved onto the speaker pounding dance area.

Smoothly, she moved her way through the crowd of dancing humans. Her sharp, now blue eyes darted every which way, her senses on high alert. It didn't take long to find the god. He was surrounded by the prettiest girls he had alive at the moment. He was in his human form, thankfully, and was using the music, girls, and crowd of clueless zombies to make him feel high and powerful. He was all about power.

"Move it, honey," Zara growled at a blonde as she shoved her roughly away from Dionysus. She started to dance to the beat, trying to get Dionysus's attention. Soon their eyes met. Zara knew those bloodshot emerald eyes were dangerous, but who could resist outwitting a god? Any Guardian would have taken the chance.

"I haven't seen you before," Dionysus shouted above the music. Her new form was definitely what the god liked. She probably didn't even need the incredibly skimpy outfit to attract him. This was too easy for the old Guardian.

"I just got here," Zara said in a giggly girl voice. She danced closer to him as if she was part of the hypnotized crowd. Now that his attention was on her and she saw his interest, it was time for business. "How long have you been here?" she asked the god with another half drunk giggle.

If Dionysus had been smart, he would have been able to see through the question. None of his zombies asked weird questions like that. But he was too focused on the Guardian's body to notice these things.

"I've been partying for so many years now, I've lost count," Dionysus answered. "But I should take one of my rests soon. Maybe you can join me."

_Oh gross!_ Zara thought with disgust. Resisting the urge to curl up her nose, she said, "Maybe." She then asked, "Why do you need to rest? You're so powerful; I thought you never had to stop." She smiled at her craftiness. She hadn't gotten a chance to be this daring since she was assigned her latest master. In all that time, she had never lost her touch.

"Well of course I'm powerful," Dionysus shot back quickly.

"Yeah! I know!" Zara said with fake excitement. "You're, like, the most powerful god there is."

"You are so right," Dionysus said with a prideful grin. Zara wondered if maybe all that booze had killed off the small amount of brain cells he used to have. Was there anything left in that brain? "I like you."

"I like you too," Zara said with a smile. She danced for a while before asking, "So when do you need to take that break?"

"In a few days," Dionysus answered smoothly, "But we could make it in a few hours if you stick around."

He closed his eyes as he got caught up in the music again. At that precise time Zara changed form. When the eyes opened again to soak in the beauty of the new girl, he was only met with a chubby frizzy haired girl rocking out to the beat. The god looked around and shoved the dorky girl out of the way as he walked around to try and locate the new girl again. It was only then that the dork stopped her dancing with a smirk.

Transforming into her hawk form again, Zara took off into the air with a quick flap of her elegant wings. Gracefully, she rode a current upward and out of the noisy pit of dancers. She headed in the direction of her masters' ship. They were going to enjoy her news.

"Idiot," Zara muttered as she left the place with a final beat of her wings.

-Danny-

Taking advantage of the bright weather, Danny had moved his intensive reading to the deck. He had a small stack of books beside him as he lay on his stomach with his current book open before him. A light wind ruffled the old and cracked pages, but the boy didn't mind the slight disturbance. With the Guardian gone, Melody sleeping downstairs, Bob cooking up a storm in the galley, and Theo for once relaxing by the control area, Danny finally felt at peace.

_BAM!_

Danny felt like he jumped a foot off the floor as a pair of combat boots landed right in front of him. He gave a yelp of alarm, heartbeat sky rocketing. Breathless because of the suddenness, Danny shot his head up to see what was going on.

"Guardian reporting for duty, sir!" Zara said with a salute. Her new form was of a black man dressed as if he was going into the army. Again, Danny was blown away by the details. She hadn't missed the paint on the face, the dog tags, the peace sign etched into the side of the helmet, and the dirty stains dotted across the uniform.

"Jeez! Did you have to scare the heck out of me like that?" Danny asked, trying to suppress his anger. He got to his feet and felt a little self conscious because Zara's new form was big and bulky. He felt like the black man could snap him like a twig if it wanted to.

"I found it amusing, sir!" Zara shouted as if being addressed by a higher ranked officer. She made another salute to add to the effect. But she never broke character. Her face was stoic as ever.

"What are you supposed to be?" Theo asked Zara as he walked up to them.

"Oh, c'mon!" Zara said with a frustrated sigh. Her voice was back to normal now. "Haven't you guys ever heard of the Vietnam war? It was one of the craziest wars I can think of that I was in. You two need to read some more history books, you ignorant fools."

"You were in the Vietnam war?" Danny asked. "Why?"

"We're not here for a history lesson," Theo butted in before Zara could answer, "Especially from a Guardian." He looked the Guardian's form over once more before asking, "Could you change into something less…tall?"

"Intimidating, aren't I?" Zara asked with a wicked grin as she transformed into her preferred form. Dropping the grin, she casually crossed her slim but toned arms behind her head and waited for her masters to ask for the information out of her.

"Did you find Dionysus?" Theo asked her.

"Yep," Zara answered. She looked out into the distance as if bored. She didn't continue. It was one of the best ways to get Theo ticked off.

"And," Theo said to get her going.

"I can show you where he is," Zara said, "He's about hundred miles into the Terra. It is real simple to spot, you won't miss it. He has no guards, no security system. The prideful god believes he's safe dancing and drinking till the end of time. You guys will be able to easily get to him."

"Typical Dionysus," Theo said with the roll of his eyes.

"Something we agree on," Zara said.

"So what's the plan now?" Danny asked. "Do we just fly right on over there, walk up to the god, and suck him into a thermos?"

"You of all people should know how powerful that guy is," Theo said. He tapped his chin in thought. "We'd have to sneak up on him and somehow knock him out. Right now he's too powerful to keep in one of your thermoses."

"But how are we going to knock him out?" Danny asked.

"Uh, excuse me, masters, but I might have a solution to your problems," Zara piped in. "I didn't risk my life getting close to the god for nothing. I have more information if you want it."

"What?" Theo demanded out of annoyance.

"While dancing with the god, which I might add was quite nasty, I pried a good chunk of info from him," Zara said. "It was easy. He was half drunk and as prideful as ever. All I did was complement him and was able to ask whatever I wanted."

"Can you get to the point?" Danny asked with a sigh.

"Dionysus told me about a rest he needed to take," Zara said. "He's been making the humans he catches dancing and partying day after day. It's crazy how much power he has now. But that doesn't mean that it's unlimited. Right now Dionysus is weak. He needs a break. He was talking about taking this hiatus in a few days. I say we wait two days before storming over there. He'll be at his limit and close to powerless. It's the perfect time to strike."

"Wait two days?" Theo asked. "I don't have time to waste. And how do I know that you aren't lying to us?"

"Because you're going to have to bring Melody along," Zara shot back. "Her safety comes first. She's the safest with you two alive. It might not look like it, but I'm on your side. I'm not the enemy here, pal. Dionysus and the other gods and goddesses are. So get off my back."

"We're not bringing Melody with us," Danny firmly butted in. "It's too dangerous!"

"Why do you think she is here in the first place?" Zara said. "She and thousand of others like her have been bred for generations to help you two retards. She's going with you."

"Fine, she can come, but you're responsible for her," Theo decided. "And we're going now."

Zara gave a frustrated growl. "You stubborn mortal!" she yelled at him, "Can you bring your pride down a notch for just a second? Going in there now is dangerous. Wait two days so he's powerless. It's a simple and logical plan."

"I don't take orders from Guardians!" Theo retorted in a harsh yell. "Got that?"

"Yeah," Zara said quietly, her narrowed eyes cold. She folded her arms in front of her and didn't respond after that. She knew when she had pushed it too far. Silence was her place now.

"I think we should wait," Danny said after a long, icy pause between the three. Zara looked up at him, but she didn't give away any emotion.

"Danny," Theo started with a frustrated groan. Sometimes the superhero was too sappy for his own good.

"No, listen to me," Danny said to defend himself. "It won't hurt us if we wait just a day. I don't like trusting Zara too, but it would be better to be ready for a fight. I have to weaken Dionysus if I want to suck him into my thermos. It would be great if the job is easily done for me. Just one day. Trust me."

"Don't do this to me, ghost boy," Theo muttered. Rubbing his forehead with a sigh, Theo knew he had to trust his friend. The last time he didn't do that, Danny almost got killed in a battle with Ares, the god of war. That had been years ago, but the half sphinx still remembered how it felt like to be totally wrong.

"One day," Theo told Zara and Danny. He held up his right index finger while repeating, "One day. That's it."

A/N: Ah, Zara is a fun character to write about. I've always loved putting shape shifters into my writing. It lets you come up with fun ideas for their different forms. Well, nothing else to say but thanks for your reviews so far. See you guys in two weeks!


	7. Chapter 7 The Amulet of Tula

A/N: Sorry guys for the awful delay. These past two weeks have been pretty bad and depressing for me. Doesn't help that graduation project was just the other day and I failed it. Here I am, a 3.9 GPA student, and I fail because I answered the three questions in my Power Point instead of answering them in a speech like my teachers wanted me to. Now I'm even more depressed, feeling like a total looser, and dare I say it, pissed. Everyone freaking passes graduation project! I'll be part of the one percent that didn't this year. Ug! I didn't want to walk anyways. Hate life. I can't wait till high school is done. Sorry for my rant. Enjoy the delayed chapter!

PS: To make things clear, the year for this story is 2351. Vlad took over earth 50 years ago from that date. When Vlad took over, Danny had already died long ago. Vlad never had to confront Danny because he went to the future by using Theo to predict a portal there and brought Theo, Rhodes, and half the Greek gods and goddesses with him. Hope that clears some stuff up for you guys. Sorry for any confusion.

Disclaimer: Don't own any Danny Phantom characters. Everything else came from my head.

Chapter 7 The Amulet of Tula

"Why didn't you tell us to bring ear plugs?" Danny yelled at Zara above the deafening music thumbing and beating out of the large, building size speakers around them.

"What?" Theo yelled back, genuine confusion crossing his face.

Zara managed an amused grin while watching the exchange between the boys. She hadn't considered the music factor till now. Her superior abilities let her filter different sounds in and out. Right now the music was a faint background noise to her ears. She didn't even want to know how bad it was for the boys and Melody, who was sitting on her hip at the moment. They had left Bob to guard the ship, to the blob's utter joy. He didn't take dangerous situations well.

Right now Zara was back in her Vietnam soldier form to make Melody more at ease. The little girl was wide eyed and scared out of her wits because of the loud noise and wild and oblivious dancers jumping and twirling around the group. Melody liked the soldier form because it was so big and strong. She felt like her Guardian could protect her easily in this form although Zara only used it for intimidation. The Guardian liked the lithe and swift kinds of human forms for combat.

"Never mind," Danny told Theo as he pulled his friend close to shout into his ear. "Let's just find Dionysus."

Theo nodded back at the group before he pushed his way through the throng of dancers. His cat ears were now flat to block out the noise. Danny, having gone to concerts and such many of times, had already gotten used to the techno. Zara brought up the rear of the line, her eyes like Theo's as they thoroughly scanned the crowd for their goal.

Danny's fingers gripped tight then relaxed around his hold on the thermos in his hands in a nervous habit he had picked up from years of ghost fighting. His heart beat was steadily rising. His mind was opening up and accelerating. All his senses were becoming sharp. He had the normal symptoms of preparing for a ghost fight. He was eager and reluctant combined into one.

Theo pushed one last person out of the way and paused, his face flushed and his breathing stressed. The group all bumped into him with glares before looking up and falling into silence. Before them was the dancing Dionysus, fully unaware to the four intruders watching.

It took a moment, but ultimately Dionysus noticed that his power wasn't touching a certain set of people and that their eyes were on him. He stopped in mid head bang and looked up at the group. It was like a switch had been turned off when recognition hit the god. The music kept going, but the dancing people all began to stop and drop like rag dolls to the trampled grass ground. It was like Dionysus's hold on them could only sustain a trace. He didn't have enough power to keep them going or the focus when he saw Theo and his group.

"You," Dionysus growled at Theo while pointing an accusing index finger at him. He noticed Danny and he then pointed at him and said with more surprise, "You!" Zara saw this as a game and turned into her pretty girl form from the other day to get the final and ultimate astonished "YOU!" from the god.

"I see that we have established ourselves quite nicely," Theo said with a dark smirk as he folded his arms in front of him. He looked around the field with some satisfaction before asking the god, "Are you low on power, Dionysus? What happened to the party?"

"I think we crashed it," Danny said with his own grin. He was happy to see the god so weakened. It seemed like this would be an easy day of work, but he wasn't going to let some show of luck make him stupid. Anything could still happen.

"What are you doing here, you pathetic demigod?" Dionysus practically spat out the question. The god was in a rage for the disturbance. It didn't make the situation any better when Theo was the one intruding.

"I think you might know, but I'll tell you anyway," Theo said. He liked this a little too much. "I'll put it simple and in your terms so you can understand me. Payback."

He let the word settle on the tense and music filled air as to let it sink into the god's dense head.

Blood shot eyes going wide in shock, Dionysus asked, "Payback? For what?"

Theo and Danny exchanged tiresome and skeptical glances.

"How drunk _are_ you?" Zara asked the god. Even she, who didn't care much for the lives of humans, at least noticed how poorly they had been treated and ruled over by the gods as of lately.

"You have no place to speak, you conniving slave," Dionysus barked back at her. "I knew something was wrong with you when I talked to you the other day. Guardians are so pathetic. Your kind relies way too much on the human race. I almost feel pity that you have to serve under these dumb demigods." His nose curled up in disgust when I saw Melody in the Guardian's arms. "And what is that revolting creature you're holding?" he asked.

"Okay, I draw the line when he insults the kid," Danny stood up for the little girl that was now recoiling into Zara's strong and protective arms. He looked over to Theo for the right away.

"Agreed," Theo said with a nod. "Go ahead, kid."

Danny raised his thermos and pointed it Dionysus's way. He caught the move in the corner of his eye and didn't have the time to react. It was a good thing that Zara had been there to respond for him. A hard shove from behind knocked him to his knees and fumble with the cumbersome metal case. A moment later, one of Dionysus's zombies flew over him with intent on hurting him but only succeeding in getting kicked in the face by Theo.

"We need a shield, now!" Theo shouted down at Danny.

Jumping to his feet, Danny swiftly crafted a green ectoplasm shield around the group. He sighed a breath of relief when more of the zombies collided with the force field a second later. For the moment, the four were safe.

"You still don't understand it, do you, Theo?" Dionysus asked the half sphinx, a dark and malevolent grin consuming his features. The god shook with the effort to keep his zombies in control. Sweat drops beaded down his pale skin. He was in no shape to use his powers, but yet he still drove them on the edge.

"Understand what?" Theo asked. He glanced around the green shield, fully aware of the danger outside of it. How long would Danny be able to hold the shield? It didn't look long because it was faltering here and there.

"Oh, Vlad never told you how he did it?" Dionysus asked with fake innocence, "How he convinced the gods and goddess to join him? How he took over this time period with ease? As his little lackey, I thought for sure he'd let you in on the secret."

"I'm not that man's lackey!" Theo firmly established with a hiss.

Dionysus nodded in agreement before saying smugly, "You were more like his privileged prisoner."

"Shut up!" Theo demanded. "I worked for him to keep my life. You know nothing of Vlad Plasmius. The only time you see him is the annual banquet, and you are always too drunk to notice anything. The only reason why he lets you have this Terra is because it keeps the number of humans in this region low. He'd never share a secret with you."

Dionysus gave a wicked chuckle as he put his hand into the front of his shirt. He slowly brought out some kind of amulet tied to a thin silver chain around his neck. The amulet was in the shape of a flat oval. Intricate symbols were carved into it with a misty blue gem as the center point. At the present, the jewel shimmered and glowed with untold power. To Zara's ears, the amulet even hummed as if to ward off evil.

"Do you know what this is?" Dionysus asked them. He saw Zara's frown of recognition and said, "Your slave has seen it before. It must be a pretty old one if it knows what the Amulet of Tula is."

"There are millions of amulets all around the world," Theo said, "I don't pay attention to the old magical ways these days. What makes it so special?"

"There are many things that make this amulet special," Dionysus said. "One of them is the fact that Vlad offered one to each god and goddess before the take over. It takes power right out of the air and channels it through the holder of it. It also blocks any magical attacks with incredible force. But what I like the most about this precious amulet is the power it gives me." His smile darkened. "You know that feeling, Theo. The feeling of power."

Theo frowned deeply before answering, "I gave up that feeling long ago, Dionysus. It's too dangerous and consuming." He paused before adding softly, "Too dark."

"Oh, but you still feel it, Theo," Dionysus was quick to point out. "Anything dealing with magic or supernatural feels it. It's a part of any ghost, that crave for that intoxicating feel of power. It's the only reason why you have survived so long. You love the feel of action and battle. You love it even more when you win. Don't you?"

"Every ghost feels it," Theo responded. His features were dark and furious, but he was also calm. "It is part us. I've already come to terms with that and accepted it. I've defeated that urge inside me. The question is, Dionysus, have you? Do you let that urge consume you? From the looks of things, I'd say yes."

"Enough of this!" Dionysus shouted. "I'm tired of you and your band of renegades."

"Wow, I didn't know he was smart enough to know what renegades meant," Zara muttered, her sarcastic humor still there despite everything. Danny shot her a quick glance. How could she be in such a good mood? He guessed that the Guardian expected them all to die soon so she could go back to the Ghost Zone.

Dionysus ignored the Guardian's comment by ordering his zombies, "Kill them. Start with the cat boy." And with the snap of his fingers, the hundred or so zombies on the dancing field pounded against Danny's shield. Dionysus disappeared into the crowd.

"I can't hold this for long," Danny announced to the group with alarm in his voice. He had his arms raised above his head to focus on keeping the shield up and alive.

"We don't stand a chance with a mob of innocent humans," Theo said. His mind was racing for options and ideas because Danny's was too busy thinking on keeping the shield up. "The world's population of humans is already low, so killing all of them is off our option list. The Rebellion would have a hay day if I reported back to them that all of Dionysus's Terra was dead."

"I have a plan, if you want to hear it," Zara said with a casual sigh. Theo and Danny looked over to her in silence. She took their compliant stares as a yes. "Dionysus ordered them to kill Theo first. They will only go after him. What if I turn into Theo? They will have to go after both of us. These zombies are too stupid right now to know the difference. While Theo and I distract, Danny, with Melody, should find Dionysus and do whatever thing you do with that thermos."

"I have no time to argue," Theo said with a rush, "Hand Melody over to Danny." For a fleeting second Zara looked surprised that Theo had accepted her proposal, but she was quick to shove a protesting and crying Melody over to Danny and morph into the half sphinx.

"It's creepy how you look so much like him," Danny told her as he took Melody out of her hands.

"When it's your job to be someone else, it's easy to add the nice little details, ghost boy," she said quietly in Theo's voice, the wry smile of his spot on. For a moment Danny was startled. He had almost believed the copy was Theo himself.

The conversation didn't last long when the shield faded away under the stress of having Melody in his hands. The crowd surged into the tight space that had used to be blocked off by the ghost. Danny dashed forward to grab his thermos that he had dropped. Tightening his grip on the little girl clutching his shirt and sobbing into his chest with fright, the ghost boy jumped off the ground. His mind let the holds of gravity leave as he flew high into the air.

"I can't see a thing in this crowd," Danny muttered to himself. His green eyes scanned the large mass of people. He watched with interest as the humans began to loose focus on their chase of the two Theos. Apparently Zara's quick scheme had worked. The zombies were too confused to pinpoint a Theo if there were two of them.

But had her scheme really been that haphazardly thought up? The question made Danny ponder Zara's ghost abilities. She wasn't your average ghost, Danny was soon finding out.

-Theo-

Smiling briefly, Theo used his cat genes as he neatly flipped over a group of humans preparing to charge at him. He landed in a tight crouch that he was quick to spring out of when another set of humans spotted him and tried to grab at him. The poor zombie mortals were so confused. It was amusing to the demigod somewhat.

The smile vanished as a lucky grab met its mark. The young man was yanked backwards and behind a medium sized speaker. It wasn't as big as the building sized ones surrounding the area, but it was large enough to hide behind, which was what Zara was doing at the moment.

"I think the music is part of Dionysus's power," Zara told Theo as she pulled him so they were face to face. "If we can somehow turn off this annoying techno, I think he will grow weaker." She frowned while listening to the lyrics, making her substitute cat ears flatten before asking, "He's bringing sexy back? Why does the god feel the need to listen to oldie crap like this?"

"These speakers all have wires coming out of the top of them," Theo said as the idea bounced around in his head. He had long gotten used to ignoring the Guardian and its strange comments. At least she was quick. It came from centuries of experience. "You can get up there easily. I'll lead the zombies away while you cut the power."

"Sounds good, cat boy," Zara said with a fun-loving smirk. Before Theo could protest against the name she had called him, the Guardian turned into a deep blue macaw and flew with a loud rustle of feathers over the demigod's head with a sharp caw.

-Danny-

Eyes searching and combing the crowd that ran around aimlessly after a distracting Theo, Danny felt himself having some trouble keeping in the air. Usually it was natural for him to float in the air. It took thought to keep himself grounded at times. But right now he felt the weight of gravity on him as he struggled to stay aloft. What was the problem with him?

Tired of the pull of gravity, Danny landed himself and Melody. He shifted her petrified form to his other hip with a grumble of her clinginess. He didn't like having her there. It was too dangerous for a girl her age. Not to mention that she was scared half to death. The ghost boy could literally feel her fear wash over him. Like all fear from humans, it made him feel more alive and overly excited.

The ghost boy jumped when a whole speaker suddenly sparked and turned off behind him. He turned around and saw Zara in the form of some ancient South American warrior, painted face and everything. She raised her sharp club up, a grin on her lips, and brought it down on the next speaker's power line.

Danny took a step back as the giant speaker exploded as its connection to sound waves was abruptly cut off. Melody shuddered at the loud sound that boomed over the rest of the music and hung tighter onto Danny. Smoke billowed out of the first two speakers now, clouding the area with its thick presence. Danny watched as Zara turned into a parrot and fly to her next victim.

It was when he was taking his green eyes off the Guardian that he glimpsed the god in the crowd around him. Theo was doing an excellent job making the zombies confused and slow. But somehow through the swarm of them running around like idiots, Danny saw the god trying to blend in.

"This will all be over soon, Melody," Danny said down to the girl with enthusiasm. He held her little form close to him as he shoved someone out of his way and headed toward where he had seen the god.

Stumbling to the place where the god had once stood, Danny quickly glanced around in search. He sensed the powerful presence too late. While Danny's head was turned, Dionysus reached out and wrapped his fingers around one of Melody's arms and tried to yank her out of Danny's hands.

Melody let out a blood curdling scream as she was snatched away. Dionysus stumbled as he felt his power drop for a frightening moment. Danny had felt the sudden power drop too and had let go of his thermos by mistake because of it, but he had managed to latch back onto the girl while the god had been caught off guard.

"What are you doing?" Danny yelled at Dionysus as he pulled Melody his way to get her back. For some reason it was hard to breath. A tingly sensation traveled up and down his arms. What was going on?

"Snotty little beasts like this shouldn't be here in my domain," Dionysus seethed back. Danny could see that Dionysus was suffering the same weird sensations he was. There was confusion in those green eyes of his.

"She's only an innocent kid," Danny screamed back with a good amount of effort. Poor Melody was now caught in a tug-a-war between these two powerful beings. "Let go of her!" Danny demanded. This time he felt the air around them swirl in a swell of emotions.

"No!" Dionysus shouted with another hard pull that produced a whimper of fear and pain from Melody. "She, like the rest of you, dies today!"

Dead silence abruptly fell upon the opponents a split second after these words. The air was taken away from the very spot they stood as a blinding white light rudely blasted onto them from no apparent direction. This happened in the matter of two or three seconds, then sound and sight came rushing back with a loud bang that took the breath out of the two ghosts.

"W-what's going on?" Dionysus asked in a panic.

Danny watched in horror as the god withered away before his very eyes. His pretty and fit youth was rapidly dwindling into an obese middle aged man with chubby red cheeks and a few chins of fat. He was transforming into what he should have looked like with the lifestyle he had led, which was also his true god form. The only thing had stayed the same were the evil blood shot emerald eyes that were wide and frantic.

"No! My power!" Dionysus wailed in total terror. "It's going away! NO!"

In his freak out moment, the god had let go of Melody. Danny quickly pulled her towards him as he watched Dionysus lose everything he had in only the matter of a few seconds. It was then he felt it.

Taking in a deep breath, Danny felt some wild and vast power flow into him. Danny looked down to his tingling arms with his mouth dropping open in astonishment. Green ectoplasm energy pooled around his hands and circled up his arms as the power kept coming in and building up. The feeling was freeing, exciting, and frightening all at once. The mind numbing sensation of the sublime was in the very air around him.

"I don't know what is going on," Danny said with a small laugh, "But I like it."

"You're stealing my power!" Dionysus accused in an angry bellow. His eyes narrowed on the boy standing boldly before him. He looked over to Melody and saw that her eyes were glowing white.

Staying silent, the ghost boy brought up his free arm that wasn't holding onto Melody. He smiled when all it took from him was a simple thought to produce an ectoplasm ball. The energy smoothly flowed down his arm and collected easily in his palm. He _really_ liked this.

The great feel of this immense power was intoxicating to every one of Danny's senses. Everything stood out. The blades of trampled grass were vibrant. He could smell every sharp edge of the green plant and the earth it was connected to. The music pounding through the air vibrated and pulse the senses in him, giving him a strong urge to dance to it. Everything was sharp. Everything was new. The old world Danny had seen had been replaced with an exhilarating, refreshing one.

Was this how it felt to have power?

Danny let go of his ectoplasm ball and watched with a satisfied feeling as it slammed into Dionysus's shoulder. The strong force of the attack sent the weak and defenseless god airborne. He landed with a cry of fear and pain on his back a few feet away.

Still holding Melody in a protective, strong arm, Danny launched himself into the air. He grinned at how easy and freeing everything felt with this power. He flew upside down as he blasted back toward his dropped thermos. He snatched it off the ground and pulled up so he was right above the cowering Dionysus.

"By the way, dude," Danny told the god, "I never liked your plays."

With that said, Danny pressed a button on the thermos and watched as Dionysus was sucked into its blue rays with a scream of anger and pain. He floated down toward earth with the great feeling of victory flowing through his veins.

The boy felt slightly disappointed as the power began to leave him. He let out a long breath to ease the energy out of him. Returning to the old world was like submerging yourself into a haze. For Danny it was like sometimes changing back into a human after being a ghost for a long time. A ghost's sense was ten times sharper than a mere human's. It was hard not to get caught up in being ghost for Danny.

It was going to be hard to keep down that crave for another surge of power, Danny knew. He felt almost sad that he'd probably never be able to experience that again. He also felt guilty that he was getting so caught up in just a feeling. But nothing was wrong with it, was it?

These thoughts didn't last long. Danny was quick to return to reality and why he was there in the first place. He saw Melody's glowing white eyes at just the last second. They soon returned to their normal golden color. She gave a little gasp as her power faded then looked up into Danny's smiling face.

"You're okay now, Melody," he whispered softly to her. "I got it covered." He held up his thermos to show her that the god was locked away in it. The little girl silently looked at it then back at Danny. She then leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck with a relieved and grateful sigh.

By now Danny noticed the crowd of humans around him. Most had dropped to the group with exhaustion and were sleeping off at least a few weeks of drained energy. The ones that could stand were wandering around in shock. Some were sitting down and weeping with liberation and happiness. They were now free and alive.

Theo and Zara, in her preferred form, walked up to Danny. The ghost boy held up the thermos with triumph. Theo matched his friend's grin while saying, "Success! High five!" The two slapped hands with victorious laughs.

"We almost got killed and you guys act like everything had gone according to plan," Zara grumbled in disgust. She had her hands on her hips while reprimanding them. "If we had waited one more day, that god would have been powerless. Instead, we charged right on through and escaped only by the grace of Melody's powers. Without my plan or Melody, both of you idiots would be freaking dead! Pathetic!"

"Speaking of which, what in the gods did Melody just do?" Theo asked her. "All I saw was a white light, and then Dionysus was gone."

"I'm forbidden to tell," Zara answered with a tired sigh. She said that often.

"She kind of gave me Dionysus's power," Danny answered for the Guardian. "It was strange but so awesome! The feeling was incredible! But after I got his power, it was easy to get the god into the thermos. She then put the power back I guess."

"Incredible?" Zara asked, smirking.

"Yeah!" Danny said with a wide grin. "I had never felt that much…power."

"Okay, power hungry ghost boy, give the kid back to me," Zara said and reached out to take Melody away from the teen.

Danny laughed at her choice of words. "I'm not power hungry," he said while trying to yank Melody off his neck. She didn't budge. She had found her new protection in the ghost boy. And apparently this show of trust meant acting like a leech for the little girl.

"Sure," Zara murmured. Her gold eyes shot over to Theo's brown ones. She gave him a look that made him frown and look away. Zara returned to the situation at hand with a curse in another language. "Seems like she has taken a liking to you," she told Danny. "Congratulations."

A/N: The end I was pushing through some writer's block, so sorry if it came out awkward at a few places. Because this chapter was late a week, expect the next update next weekend. Thanks for being such great readers, guys, and have a great Easter weekend, unlike me who will be sulking because of my failures. Kidding. I write better when I'm emotional anyways. See you guys next week!


	8. Chapter 8 Storm Stories

A/N:

A/N: I'm always so delayed, and I really sorry for that. You readers have been so great, so I hate to update so late. Good news, though. My rugby team is now the one to beat this season! The score last game was 26 to 8. Man, it feels good to win! That out of the way, enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: I own everything except confused old Danny Phantom.

Chapter 8 Storm Stories

Danny glanced over his shoulder to look at the Guardian behind him. He was at the sink in the galley, busy doing dishes. Zara was on cooking duty that night and was preparing the meal on the table. She had all her baking stuff haphazardly strewn across the wooden surface. She had given her usual form a tall chef hat and a white apron, and she was humming lightly as she worked.

The ghost boy quickly turned his head back to his scrubbing job when Zara looked up at him. He had to blow away a stray group of suds to keep it out of his face. He frowned when it decided to land on his hair. He dared another glance around his shoulder.

Ever since their take down of Dionysus's Terra, Danny had been interested in Zara. She was different from all the other ghosts he had seen and met over the years. She seemed to have so much power, but she rarely used it or even wished to. He wondered why. Was it just from maturity from her many years? There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, he was just scared of her. The Guardian could change her mood at the snap of someone's fingers.

Finishing up the dishes, Danny started to dry his hands off. He finally got up the guts to talk to the Guardian then. "Zara?" he asked.

She grinned from where she was mixing some ingredients in a bowl. Ever since Vlad's takeover, the easy way of cooking had been taken away. Meals made from scratch were the only way to cook now, unless you lived in Vlad's city Terra. The Guardian didn't look up at him as she said, "You've been looking at me like some imbecile all day. This question better be a good one."

"That's just it," Danny said. "Why do you feel the need to insult me? I'm nice to you. I treat you ten times better than Theo does. Why do you still strike out like that?"

Zara chuckled. "Just a reminder to you that we aren't on the same page," she told him truthfully. "I'm not on your level, human. I'm your slave. Because I'm your slave, I'm not your friend; I'm not your bud. And even if you don't treat me like a slave, I still am one, okay?"

"Then why be my slave if you don't want to?" Danny asked. He sighed while dropping into a chair across from where Zara was still mixing. "You have so much power, why not use it?"

Zara broke out into an evil grin. "Is that a command?" she asked intently. "Do you want to see me use my power?"

Danny hesitated for a moment as he met Zara's golden stare. The room suddenly plunged in degrees. Danny saw his breath come out in white puffs. He had to rub his arms as he shivered from the harsh drop of temperature. What was going on? What was Zara doing?

The room began to shake uncontrollably as if they were in an earthquake. Danny fell of his chair with a yelp of surprise. He stumbled to unsteady feet and looked around wildly as plates and other ceramic-made objects began to smash and break. The pieces were swept up in a strong wind that blasted and swirled around the galley.

Danny looked over to Zara and saw her sitting stoically on her chair, looking straight at him. The goofy chief hat and apron were gone to fit her serious mood. Her face was emotionless as her narrowed stare bore right into the teen. He needed to stop this!

"Stop, Zara!" he yelled at her above the wind that threatened to sweep him off his feet. The cold was now unbearable. A frost was starting to make its way across the counters and tables. His skin felt numb. "Please, Zara, stop this!" She kept staring at him. Danny closed his eyes and screamed at her, "I command you to stop!"

The second the order was made, the chaos vanished. Danny opened his eyes in surprise and looked around. It looked like nothing had happened. No wind, no earthquake, and no smashed dishes. Everything was back to normal.

"W-what was that?" Danny asked Zara, breathless. The Guardian was back to cooking. She smirked callously at his frightened and confused face.

"Foolish mortal," she hissed under her breath, "You do not understand the bonds I am under. In this earthy and muddy human world, I have immense power, but I can not use it unless you let or tell me to, just like you commanded me to stop that illusion. And all you humans use it for is to show off or win your pathetic and bloody human wars. It is pointless."

"Is that why you want to go back to the Ghost Zone so much?" Danny asked her. "So you won't have to do everything us humans tell you to?"

Zara sighed at the thought of her home. Ever since her new mission to take care of the blood line, she had rarely been able to return to it between her masters' deaths over the past few centuries. She longed to be back in that swirling, disordered world, where just _being_ was enough for everyone. If Guardians ever had to describe their longing feeling, they'd say it was like homesickness.

"No one likes being a slave," she finally said after a pause, "But my hate for humans and their filthy world is much deeper than what you perceive. The Ghost Zone, as you call it, is my home, I have an inseparable bond to it. To put it bluntly, you, Danny Fenton or Phantom, will never fully understand my bond to it."

Danny frowned at this. "Why not?" he asked with anger creeping into his voice. How could she say that about him? "I have a home. I know how much I miss it."

"No," Zara snapped back at him, "You are both ghost and human. You will _never_ be able to feel the bonds a human does to its world or a ghost's to its own. I almost feel pity for that curse of yours, to never feel where you belong." She paused to let those sober words set in before adding, "Notice how I put in almost."

A bit stunned and taken off guard because of where this conversation had been taken, Danny sat back down on his chair across from the Guardian with a thoughtful sigh. Zara kept on cooking as if she had talks like this to people like Danny every day. That was one thing Danny noticed a lot with Zara. She moved on quite quickly when she wanted to.

After a few minutes of silence except for Zara's quiet humming, the Guardian looked up at the ghost boy. "You're upset, aren't you?" she stated rather than asked. "I didn't make my words all nice and cuddly, now that I think back to it."

Danny didn't respond except for a wane smile to humor her. What disturbed him was that she was right. Constantly, he felt like he didn't belong anywhere. He didn't feel much attached to the human world he had grown up and lived in. It felt too real to his ghost senses, too tangible. On the other end, the Ghost Zone was too chaotic and disorganized for his human taste. Ever since he got ghost powers, he had this detachment from both worlds, as if in limbo. With Zara's words, she had confirmed that feeling. Would he ever find balance?

Zara sighed. She knew that look of Danny's. Every master she had over the years had at one point had that far off look. That only meant one thing. A pep talk.

"Hey, kid, don't take what I said that seriously," she told him while putting down her bowl and spoon. "You have a lot going for you. Right now you're on the adventure of a lifetime, which, now that I think of it, you have often. That aside, the adventure you're on right now is going great. You have your serious little cat friend with you and have defeated a god. Hey, even Melody now likes you. That's a first. I don't think she even likes me. So cheer up, okay."

Danny chuckled at the Guardian's words. "Why do you think she likes me?" he asked randomly.

Zara rolled her eyes. "You saved her life, stupid," she said. "Humans have that weird appreciation thing going strong in them that makes them want to be nice and like those who saved their lives. It's a weak emotion, but I think it's cute. What can I say; I'm a sucker for noble acts."

Danny thought it strange how Zara always talked like that. It was curious how she described a basic thing like appreciation, as if it was alien to her or something. "So you're not jealous that I'm now her favorite?" Danny teased with a grin.

"Jealous?" Zara questioned, "Nasty human emotion. Don't think I've ever felt that one. It's foreign to Guardians. No wait. I think I felt it when a friend's master had to go off to the battle of Thermopylae and my master didn't make the cut. I had to wait years before that master died. My friend got a ticket straight to the Ghost Zone for at least a century. My friend was always lucky like that."

Danny laughed at this. "That's one morbid story I haven't heard," he said. "Do Guardians always hate their masters so much they wish them death? Do you wish Melody to die soon?"

"Hate's such a strong word," Zara said, "But I'd use it to describe my feelings for most of my older masters." She grinned at Danny's troubled frown, "But to answer your second question; no…not yet. All humans are born with innocence. In those early years, I guess I can say I somewhat enjoy or don't mind my job as slave. The human becomes like every other human I've been a slave to after the innocence has been taken away, though."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked. Zara looked up at him with a thoughtful look on her face. This kid was refreshingly different from so many other humans she had come into contact with. It was nice to look into those blue eyes again.

"I'll tell you something, ghost boy," Zara said. She almost smiled when he gave her an inquiring look. "Don't ever change. You're a good kid, which is rare for humans in general. Can you do that for me?"

"That's a strange offer, you know that?" Danny told her with the raise of an eyebrow. Zara shrugged casually. Danny chuckled at her odd behavior and said, "Sure, then. I'll try not to change."

As if to sum up their conversation, a loud and thunderous boom shuddered at one side of the ship. It made both persons in the galley jump in alarm and look over to the wall that was the side the disturbing noise had come from. A second later, the whole ship was knocked sideways. Danny gave a scream as he was thrown over the table and into the wall beside where Zara had landed. They covered their heads when the various cooking utensils that had been resting on the bolted down table came flying at them because of the sheer force of the bump.

A frightened scream sounded from deeper within the ship.

"Melody!" Danny said the little girl's name as he struggled to his feet. Zara was already up and running. A firm look of determination was in her golden eyes as she jumped right over the table and sprinted for her master's room.

"Danny! Get up here now!" Theo's voice boomed out of the tube speaker system that ran throughout the galley.

Danny paused to shake some broken ceramic bowl pieces off him before running for the stairs. He bounded up them, threw open the hatch, and screamed as a strong gust of wind whisked him off his feet and out of the galley. Desperately, he grabbed onto the round iron handle of the hatch door to keep himself from flying away.

When the wind died down, Danny came falling back to the deck. Once he was safely on solid ground, Danny ran to the control tables where Theo stood, clutching the wheel so as to keep the boat steady. His teeth were gritted together in the effort it took to fight the course the wind wanted to take them.

"This storm came out of nowhere!" Theo yelled at Danny above another gust of wind. As if to emphasize the danger they were in, a blinding flash of lightning split the sky right beside them, making Danny flinch. A second later, the thunder sounded. After a second of shaking off the deafening effects of the thunder, Theo said, "I can't fight this thing, Danny. We need to let the storm carry us out."

"Are you nuts?" Danny shouted back. "We need to get out of here!"

"Don't you understand? I can't _do_ anything! Its taking everything this ship can do to just stay in this condition," Theo said. "Any more stress, and this ship is going to be torn apart. Look around! Do you see any way out of here? We have no visual as to where to head."

Danny frowned as he looked up at the sky and all around. The clouds were large, wet, and gray to black colored. The wind was strong, pushing both the ship and clouds in any direction it wanted. Danny could feel the sublime feeling of lightning splitting the sky all around him. The thunder that followed was deep and steady. They were caught in a deadly vortex of the dangerous side of nature. There was no way out Danny could find. Theo was right. They had to ride it out and hopefully survive.

"What do you need me to do?" Danny asked.

Serious as ever, Theo said, "We need to put more lines around the balloons. I don't want to lose them in this storm. Bob, here, will help you. Keep a life line on you even if you turn ghost. We don't want to lose you in all this wind. Can you do that?"

Bob flew up so he hovered by Danny's head. He gave Theo a salute and said something in his own weird language. Theo nodded with a grim smile. "Can do," Danny told his friend. He turned to Bob and said, "Let's go."

Danny then left Theo and ran over to the hatch to get some rope from bellow deck. Bob flew beside him, his eyes wide with fear. Half way there, the clouds opened up and let out their loads of rain. Big, fat raindrops instantly soaked the wooden deck and the human that was just turning ghost. The white rings flashed just as the first drive of rain hit the teen.

Skidding to a stop, Danny yanked the hatch door back open. He paused when he saw Zara standing down there looking up at him in surprise. They took a second to take each other in, and then flew into action. Danny jumped down the stairs and let his ghost powers land him lightly beside the Guardian.

"How's Melody?" Danny asked as he rushed to get the rope.

"Freaking out and locked in her room," was Zara's simple answer. "What are the captain's orders?"

"Help Bob and me secure the balloons," Danny said. He grabbed a handful of thick, coiled ropes that weighted a ton.

Zara transformed into a buff 17th century English armada sailor and grabbed the ropes out of Danny's hands. "I'll hold these, kid," she told him as she ran for the steps. "You and blob boy can tie them down." Bob cursed the Guardian in his own language for the nickname, which only made Zara smile in amusement.

"Good idea," Danny said while flying out of the hatch with one rope in his hands. Once on deck, he ran to the starboard side and tied one end of his lone rope around the railing there. He then wrapped the other end of the rope around his waist and tied it tight. He looked up to Bob and asked, "Ready to roll?" Bob looked petrified, but he nodded bravely. The blob just knew this adventure stuff was going to be the death of him.

Taking one rope at a time from Zara, the boys flew up to one side of the large balloons. Danny would then quickly fly over the massive hot air carriers with his end of rope. The two would then securely tie down their ends of rope on opposite sides of the ship.

It was tough work on Danny's part because of the cold, perpetual rain beating down on him and blurring his vision. His thick black hair hung defiantly in his face and eyes. The heavy rope was soaked and hard to grip with his numb and sore fingers. After attaching a few of these ropes, Danny could feel his energy start to drain. He continued anyways.

This whole time, the storm was steadily getting worse. The wind would sometimes force Theo off his spot at the helm, which would let the boat spin out of control. Danny sometimes found himself flying away from the ship. Before he could panic, though, his lifeline would pull taunt and he would get back in control once Theo was able to grab back a hold of the helm.

After a long time of tiresome work, Danny and Bob flew back down to tell Theo they were done. Panting, Danny landed on shaky feet beside his friend. "What next?" he asked in a yell to be heard above the roaring thunder and screaming wind.

"I'm now going to cut the balloons' power," Theo told Danny, Bob, and Zara who were all standing there like a faithful crew waiting for orders. "Once I do that, this ship will be in the hands of this storm. Hopefully, we'll just get thrown out. This is the only option we have." He looked to Zara and told her, "Go get Melody. She might get hurt down bellow deck."

Zara ran off to obey the command without another word. They waited till she was back with Melody clutching fearfully to her. For a moment, the small group all looked at each other. Their eyes all shared their fear and apprehension.

"Hang on to something," Theo told the team solemnly. As they all obeyed, Theo let out the air in the balloons by pressing a button on the control panel. Sighing, Theo suddenly let go of the helm and stepped back with a severe look in his brown eyes.

The ship lost control. Theo let out a cry as the slick floor under him lurched downward. Danny managed to grab his friend's arm and pull him to the stern railing before Theo could find himself stranded by himself in the storm. While the boat spun, twirled, and flipped around in the strong winds and rain, the group clung to the railings. It was all they could do.

After a few scary moments of near death experiences, the ship was shot out of the thick and worst of the storm. They suddenly arrived at the eye of the storm. One second it was chaos. The next, it was peaceful and clear, without a single cloud or raindrop.

The crew was so stunned at the random change of weather, that they didn't realize they were safe from the storm till they felt the ship plummet because the balloons were deflated. A bewildered look was on Theo's face as he lunged for the controls and hastily began to push buttons and flip levers. Danny and Zara watched him work fiercely at the controls while the ship was still dropping at a dangerous speed. Bob had already found his comforting home in Theo's pant pocket to faint in. Melody was too busy screaming to see that Theo was busy trying to save his crew.

The balloons abruptly filled back with air again with the help of their solar powered coating that had plenty of sunlight in the eye of the storm. Everyone on board gave sharp yells of surprise and alarm as the deck under them stopped falling and came to a halt. They all fell to the ground.

"You mortals are just full of near death experiences, aren't you?" Zara said from where she was lying on the deck with Melody on top of her who was looking around in wonder and shock. At least she had stopped screaming. Zara didn't look as scared as should have been, but she did look wiped out.

Danny chuckled at her question as he rolled onto his back, breathing hard, but fully thankful to still be alive. Theo appeared standing over him. The two friends grinned inanely at each other as Theo helped Danny to his feet.

"Where are we?" Danny asked while looking around to get his bearings. He froze at what he saw. Theo beside him paused too, a bit taken aback by this new sight.

It was a Terra.

Inside the eye of the storm was a Terra. The floating rock stretched out for as far as the eye could see. It was filled with pastoral lush green fields of grass and trees. Multicolored flowers were like seas of deep violets, bright oranges, and rich reds. Intricate and melodious bird songs were the only noises besides the storm behind them. The flying animals sweetly called down to the ship as they gracefully flew overhead. To top off the picturesque theme going on, there was a full blown deeply colored rainbow arching over the whole Terra.

"In all my years of being Earth's slave, I'd have to say that this has been one of the strangest," Zara finally spoke up as she got to her feet. "Like ghost boy said, where the heck are we?"

There was no answer.

"Hel-lo!" Zara yelled at the motionless Danny and Theo. "Earth to the dipsticks!" She frowned as they kept staring at the Terra as if in a trance. The Guardian sighed before muttering, "Huston, we have a problem."

To fix her dilemma, Zara set Melody down and shooed her away before walking up to the boys. She smiled wickedly before slamming her heels down onto their toes. Just as she thought, the pain woke them out of their daydreams with screams of pain.

"What was that for?" Danny asked as he hopped around the deck to keep off his sore foot.

"You guys were acting like idiots," Zara explained, "Seems like you guys didn't improve much."

"This must be the always hidden Aphrodite's Terra," Theo said quietly from where he was sitting and massaging his foot. The Guardian had used more strength than she needed to help them out of their trances.

"Huh?" Danny and Zara both asked in union.

"If all the gods and goddesses have that amulet Dionysus had, then her powers have to be ten times stronger than before," Theo thought out loud. "That would explain why only Danny and I went into that trance and you, Zara, didn't." He looked embarrassed before asking her, "You are a girl, right?"

Zara grinned amusingly at this. "You guessed right, cat boy," she said with a laugh. "Funny, I guess I'd be confused too because us Guardians always change shape so much. Gender is never too important in the Ghost Zone. We're all more like misty green blobs there anyways. But where are you going with this?"

"Well," Theo said as he got to his feet, "Aphrodite's power is too strong for Danny and I. Just looking at her Terra messed us up. But her power doesn't affect females. The only one who can defeat Aphrodite is well…you."

Zara's smile vanished from her face at hearing these words. It was replaced with a hard frown. "You got to be kidding me," she muttered.

A/N: You guys know the drill. Next update will be in two weeks. Please review! Thanks!


	9. Chapter 9 It's A Bunny World After All

A/N:

A/N: So this chapter is from somewhere deep in my weird and demented mind. When I have the freedom to make up stuff like on Fan Fictions, sometimes strange stuff comes out. Hopefully, it will make you guys laugh because I was hooting it up when typing the beginning of this chapter out. But, yeah, hope you guys like it and thanks for the past reviews! You guys are great! Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: In this fic, I own everything except for Danny Phantom characters.

Chapter 9 It's a Bunny World After All

"Worthless, filthy, mad, despicable, imbeciles," Zara growled under her breath. She was in the form of a tan colored mustang horse with a flowing jet-black mane. Melody joyfully rode on her bare back. The little girl was occupying her time by braiding vibrantly colored wild flowers into Zara's mane and into her own long, black locks. The pastoral landscape had put the girl into a happy and light mood, the opposite of her Guardian's.

By now Zara knew why she had survived her early years of being a slave on the earth. When it came down to daring and noble acts, she never raised her hand for them, not willingly anyway. Her method of fighting was sneak attacks or sly and cunning means to run away to live and fight another day. She didn't pride herself with being strong and powerful. She liked to think that she had lived this long was because she was smart.

But this was just plain stupid.

How was she going to, with a soup thermos and a practically mute kid, defeat a whole Terra ruled by a powerful goddess with the amulet of Tula hanging protectively around her neck? This wasn't her way of going about things. If she took one wrong step, she was going to die along with her master. How could those idiotic boys do this to her?

For the zenith time that day, Zara scanned the area all around her. The two girls from the boat had spent a whole day and night on Aphrodite's Terra. It had been early that morning that they had gotten out of the deep, rich forests and into flower covered fields. There, Zara had spotted the gray speck of a building on the horizon. Now they were heading in that direction, taking it smooth and slow on the coble stone roads that simply paved the way for them. Everything had a fairytale feel to it, as if Zara was walking on the actual pages of those old, sappy books.

Melody suddenly stiffened on Zara's back. The Guardian stopped dead in her horse tracks and scanned the fields on both sides of her. Her heightened senses were pushed to their limits in all the mater of seconds. It didn't take long for Zara to spot what Melody had seen.

"It's just a bunny," Zara sighed to her master. Her nerves were so tense! It was driving her insane.

Zara continued to walk on, trying to act natural and enjoy her hiatus from the boys who were still stuck back on the ship. But her senses were still on high alert. She couldn't calm herself down. Something foreboding was going to happen soon and her body was getting her ready for it.

A small rustle of sound made the Guardian stop and whirl her head around to see what was sneaking up behind her. Melody grinned and looked around too. Zara snorted when all she saw were another pack of rabbits there.

"Looks like the freaking Easter bunny threw up on all you rodents," Zara snapped back at the pink, green, yellow, and sky blue colored bunnies staring cutely and wide eyed up at her and Melody. With that stated to the poor creatures, Zara turned back around and walked away from them. Melody waved goodbye to the fuzzy animals.

A few minutes later, the same kind of rustle of grass made Zara spin back around. She hated having that feeling of anxiety in her all the time. She didn't like dealing with stress.

"You guys reproducing that quickly back there or something?" Zara asked the multitude of bunnies now behind her. They only hopped a little closer to her and Melody, their eyes pleading. They were starting to creep the Guardian out.

Ignoring the weird creatures, Zara started to trot away. She was disappointed to see that in the corner of her eye the groups of bunnies hop to follow her. Other bunnies were starting to join the original flock. It just kept getting bigger in numbers as the time went by.

"Okay," Zara finally told Melody, "I know how to take a hint when enough red flags go up in my head. We're out of here. Hang on." She had seen enough cute and cuddly for one day. Using her mustang form for speed, Zara galloped down the paved road away from the bunnies. They couldn't possibly catch up or follow now.

But it was already too late for the Guardian and her master.

After only a mile or two of pure speed on Zara's part, there was a road block of bunnies up ahead. Too surprised to jump over them, Zara skidded to a sudden stop an inch away from the throng of spring colored animals. Before Zara could turn around and go back, the first group of bunnies had caught up. The fuzzy things gathered around the horse with quiet intensity. All their eyes were trained on the strangers.

"Hey, back off!" Zara yelled at the animals as they kept coming closer.

Melody slid off Zara's back with a giggle. The little girl bent down to give one of the bunnies a flower she had picked awhile back. Zara, quick as a striking snake, turned into her preferred form and grabbed Melody's arm and brought her back close to her. "Hey!" Zara reprimanded the girl, her voice sharper than she meant it to be, "Stay away from those things! I don't even want to know what kind of rabies they have." Melody looked close to tears after this, but Zara ignored her.

"Are you here to save us?" the purple bunny that had received Melody's flower asked the two innocently.

Zara's eyes widened in surprise. She held Melody closer to her and snarled at the talking bunny, "What is your problem? What are you?"

"We are…or used to be humans like that girl there," the bunny answered while pointing to Melody. Zara was freaked. Its lips moved and everything. She couldn't believe that what this thing said made sense to her. "We mean you no harm," it added.

"Humans reduced to brightly colored rabbits," Zara said to herself as she looked out at the sea of multicolored bunnies before her, "Kind of pathetic."

"We know," the purple one said. He seemed like their leader because he was the only one talking. "For years we have been in this form and stuck on this Terra. We have been waiting for deliverance for generations. Please tell us the good news. Are you here to free us?"

Zara frowned at this question. A good choice of colorful words was ready to roll off her tongue at this second. She was nobody's savior, especially a pathetic human's. The only reason she was here now was because Theo and Danny had commanded her to defeat Aphrodite.

Melody nodded enthusiastically without consulting her Guardian.

The whole group of bunnies cheered at the girl's silent answer. Zara wanted to protest, but Melody looked thrilled to be the hero of these cute little critters, so she let her go. At least their goal was on the same page as the creepy human bunnies'.

The chief purple bunny was weeping with happiness. He stared up at Melody and Zara and said with joy, "This day will be the glorious day of salvation! Please, follow us. We have prepared for this day. We have a way for both of you to sneak into the castle of Aphrodite."

Zara's ears perked up at one word. "Sneak into the castle?" she asked with interest. She had already guessed that the big gray dot on the horizon was the castle he had been talking about.

"Oh, yes," the leader told her with earnest, "No mere mortal can simply walk into the castle through the door or attack from air. It is almost impossible. That is why we have tunneled a large passageway under the earth with our digging skills to slip into the castle from beneath it."

Zara grinned when hearing this news. "I like that idea," she said with a nod. "You bunny people are smarter than you look."

If bunnies could smile, the leader did. "Why, thank you," he said slyly, matching the Guardian's mood. "We didn't wait 50 years to simply be defeated at the door of the goddess's fortress."

-Hours Later-

"We are almost at the door to inside the castle," the chief bunny told Zara and Melody. The three of them had been crawling through a large rabbit hole sized tunnel for a good part of an hour to get to this secret entrance the brilliant bunny people had created for their day of salvation.

Zara had turned into a regular bunny to fit the size of the tunnel, but was still feeling claustrophobic. She didn't like the feeling of being buried under tons of earth and mud. Guardians naturally had an aversion to earth and metals because they were so far from the substances of their home in the Ghost Zone. The tunnel was just making the Guardian more jumpy, if that was possible because being under earth reduced much of her senses.

"Good," Zara said with relief. "The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can take down the goddess and then get back to the ship. You guys will be okay after the spell is broken right?" The question was directed toward the bunny chief.

"Like I have said," he answered, "My people have made many plans for this day. All we need is for you to defeat Aphrodite. We will be fine. Do not worry."

"I wasn't worrying," Zara scoffed back, almost insulted to be accused of having the weak emotion. "Part of my command is to help you humans out. At least that part will be easy. Now all I have to do is suck the goddess into this thermos. How does the ghost boy do it?" She indicated the metal canister strapped around her bunny shoulders with perplexed expression. The chief bunny's only answer was a shrug of his furry shoulders.

They finally came to a stop at the end of the candle lit tunnel. The tunnel itself was tall enough to let Zara change back into her preferred form and let Melody stand up. The little girl dusted off her poncho and muddy kneed pants. She didn't protest when Zara grabbed her shoulder and steered her over close to her. Gestures like these was only for protection reasons, but sometimes Melody liked to pretend that they were motherly on Zara's part.

"Good luck," was the bunny chief's last words to the two. Zara nodded back to him before approaching the faded wooden latch door above them that had been set up to keep the opening of the tunnel hidden. Sun light shown brightly through the cracks on the edges, making Melody squint.

"Stay close to me," Zara told Melody. She changed her form into a tall basketball player from the old days when sport stars were praised and watched vigorously. In these hard days, some of the younger generations wouldn't know what a TV was if they didn't live on Vlad's Terra. Zara now easily, with her new height, pushed the door up. The outside light rudely blasted into the dim tunnel. Zara ignored it as she jumped out of the hole, grabbed onto Melody's hand, and yanked her out to stand right beside her.

"You good?" Zara asked her master. Melody nodded as she took in the new scene with keen interest. "Where are we now?" Zara asked out loud, confusion running deep her voice.

A tall green hedge loomed above them. Zara looked behind her to see that the same type of nature wall was there to meet her with scratchy, but neatly cut leaves and branches. The two sets of hedge walls were perfectly parallel to each other and went down a straight line like a hallway with a dirt floor. Zara saw that at different places the hedge hallway took different turns. Small, pure white and polished marble statues stood at intervals down the walls.

"I thought we would arrive somewhere inside the castle," Zara muttered. She looked up and saw with some surprise that they actually were inside. A large dome of glass covered the area. Now that she was looking up, Zara could tell that this hedge garden had to be huge. She couldn't see the end of the glass dome. They had to have ended up in Aphrodite's garden.

Changing smoothly into a female black jaguar, Zara growled in annoyance of this new perplexing place and feeling. Her senses had been cut off while in that tunnel. Now they were all flooding back, but with new apprehension. A powerful yet recognizing presence was near. It made the thick, ebony fur on the Guardian bristle.

"Hang on," Zara ordered the little girl as she waved a fluffy tail in Melody's face. The girl giggled at Zara's playful gesture before grabbing onto Zara's tail and walking behind her Guardian. "The last thing I need is you running off and getting lost in this mess," Zara was saying as she slinked down the hedge pathway.

As they walked on, Zara was getting the uneasy feeling that this wasn't any old normal garden. It took only one dead end to confirm her suspicion. They were in a maze.

"I can just hear superhero ghost boy coming up with an a-_maze_-ing maze pun for this one," Zara said as she skulked away from the dead end. Melody grinned a second later when she got the amusing pun. Zara looked back at her and sighed, smiling slightly. Humans, especially the young ones, somehow had such little gray matter. By now she thought it either humorous or cute. For her first few centuries, though, it had only been frustrating.

But the dead end was enough. The Guardian put her foot down a moment later. "Stay," Zara commanded Melody as if she was a dog. She changed into a macaw and flew up to see where the entrance or exit was to this maze. She didn't even see the barrier there.

_ZAP!_

"Oof!"

Melody fretfully ran over to the fallen parrot and kneeled down beside the feathered form. It took a moment for Zara to get it together after that shock and fall. It had been a long time since she had come into contact with such devices. Nowadays Ghost Shields could be seen. But this one was invisible probably so Aphrodite could enjoy her walk down her confusing maze without the constant green hue of a Ghost Shield cast down on her.

"That was rude," Zara coughed out. She got back to her feet with a few swears under her breath. Thankfully, only her silent master was there to see that deplorable contact with the Ghost Shield. Theo or Danny would have hooted it up. A Guardian had to keep its pride somehow.

Suddenly there were voices. Reacting fast, Zara went out on a limb with the form of Danny Phantom. Melody, reacting on impulse with the familiar face of the ghost boy, jumped into her Guardian's arms just as Zara used her ghost powers to turn invisible.

"Today is so pretty!" Aphrodite was exclaiming as she rounded the hedge corner of the maze. She skipped happily down the pathway like a carefree child. Her long, luscious locks of hair flowed behind her as she twirled with the grace of a ballerina. "Don't you think so, Bertrand?" she asked her companion.

Zara had to bite her tongue to keep in her reaction of surprise. She took her eyes off her goddess target to see the fellow Guardian. Bertrand was in the form of a handsome young man now, probably to please the lustful side of the love goddess he was with. He had on a dashing black suit, shirt, and matching tie. After her initial shock to see another Guardian, Zara smiled at Bertrand's stylish new form.

"You know how _she_ doesn't like you out in the open like this," Bertrand sighed to Aphrodite. He followed slowly behind the women as if he was a dad tired of taking care of his kid. Zara smirked as she watched them approach her and Melody, who were still invisible.

"But I need to look at beauty," Aphrodite said cheerfully. "And I'm tired of looking in the mirror. Sometimes I'm too beautiful, you know?"

Bertrand sighed before saying, "Yes, you are. But you heard the news of Dionysus' Terra. That was a disaster. The humans are now running the place. These renegades that defeated the god are powerful somehow. Being out in the open in this garden could make you a target. Vlad hasn't given orders yet, but Master said it would be safer for you if you stay indoors and hidden."

"Well put, Bertrand," Zara sneered as she suddenly became visible. She stood in the middle of the pathway, a yard or so in front of the surprised goddess who had halted with wide eyes. Still in Phantom form, Zara took out the thermos, pointed it at Aphrodite, and found it quite easy to suck the powerful and unaware ghost into it. The amulet of Tula fell to the dirt floor just as Zara put the cap back on the full thermos.

"For a second there, I thought this would be a lot harder," Zara laughed.

"W-what? H-how did you get here?" a very stunned Bertrand asked.

"The bunny tunnel of course," Zara answered, and then decided to add, "Duh."

"No, not that!" Bertrand said while shaking his head in disbelief. "You! How did you get here? You died centuries ago! Vlad even made sure that your lineage was non ghost before taking over!"

Zara smiled when she realized what he was saying. Danny Phantom had fought Bertrand millions of times before at least a thousand years ago. He didn't know that behind the form she had taken that the infamous Zaramama was there. It made the Guardian laugh. This was going to be fun after all.

"Bertrand," Zara chastised, "Don't tell me you really believe that pesky old Danny Phantom is still alive and kicking today."

It took only a second for Bertrand to get it. His perplexed expression smoothed out into one of calm recognition. "You've always been a quick on, Zaramama," he told her. "I almost didn't recognize your ghost presence. You like turning into ghost boy for sentimental reasons?"

"Nah," Zara said with a chuckle, "Just wanted you to see a Guardian wet himself. Ever tried to do that? Great fun, really. Almost succeeded just a moment ago."

"I scared a newbie into his Ghost Zone form once," Bertrand said with a sharp laugh. "That delighted me for at least an hour or two."

"Ah, we do think alike in some areas," Zara mused with a forced sigh. She looked around. "So where is that ghost you just love to hang out with? She's an evil one, ain't she? She's still your master, I presume. For a moment I thought Aphrodite had command over you. But, obviously, you're still here, unfortunately."

"Zaramama, don't be so harsh against another Guardian," Bertrand said. "You know that we're both forced into this situation." He nodded at Melody in Zara's arms and asked, "And I'm guessing that's your little slave master."

"Isn't she cute?" Zara asked while holding up the timid, little girl. She grinned brightly at the enemy Guardian in fake innocence. Bertrand didn't buy it for a second.

"But she didn't command you to come here, did she?" he asked, serious now. "You're with that group of rebels from Dionysus' Terra, aren't you?" He was more like stating these things than questioning Zara.

"Well, aren't you the smart one," Zara stated, her cheery mood drastically changing into one of icy coldness.

"And for a reputation of such an old Guardian, you're pretty dull," a confident female voice said from behind the Guardian and her master.

Zara cringed when hearing the voice of Penelope Spectra.

"I'm gonna kill the boys for this," Zara swore under her breath.

A/N: I wish I could finish the chapter up, but this left if as a cliffhanger, which you guys know by now that I love dearly. Danny and Theo come back next chapter, though, I promise. The boys are too entertaining to leave behind. I can't answer last update's reviews, but I promise to answer any questions from this chapter, okay? See you wonderful readers in two weeks!


	10. Chapter 10 The Amulet's Power

A/N:

A/N: Sorry this took so long to come out. I had a bad case of writer's block for like a whole month. It was very aggravating and hopefully fully gone now. Jeez. I hadn't had a case lasting that long or that intense in years. I'll discuss my repayment to your readers in the ending author's note. So let's get on with the chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom. Everything else belongs to me.

Chapter 10 The Amulet's Power

Letting himself express a small smile, Theo crossed his arms under his resting head and let the warmth of the sun give him the usual dreamy, light sensation any cat experiences. He was laying on the very top of a balloon fastened to the ship. Some of the bigger flying boats actually had giant wooden platforms on top of the balloons, but this one was too small. Theo didn't care, though. It was just as easy to catch some rays on a deck-less balloon top.

At the moment, Theo was pondering the fact that this mission with Danny was surprisingly much easier with Zara and the kid around, ironically. The Guardian was a pretty good slave, Theo had to admit. She was quick and incredibly smart. Sure, she was a big complainer and always found a hole in the rules to slack off when she could, but when it came down to it, she was there to serve.

But…wasn't that like all Guardians? They had always been excellent servants. It was the main reason why ghosts and humans alike used them so often to protect themselves. There was nothing special about Zara's character, Theo confirmed.

Someone suddenly blocked off the sunlight on Theo's face. Frowning, the half sphinx peeked open an eye to glare at the disturbance. He had told Danny to take care of the deck. Why wasn't he doing his job, the lazy ghost boy?

"Bob? What's up?" he asked the blob floating nervously around his face. Theo sat up and waved the thing off before asking again, "What is going on? Stop hyperventilating. Come on! Don't pass out! Just…slowly…tell me what's going on."

Bob was a mess, flying around Theo's head like a fly on steroids. But finally he calmed down enough to squeak some words out for Theo to hear.

"Bunnies?" Theo asked incredulously. "How in the Underworld has bunnies taken over our ship?" He laughed at the morbid thought. He slowly lay back down and closed his eyes while saying to Bob, "Go get some water in your system. Dehydration is making you see things."

"Theo!" Danny's distant call made Theo open his eyes in surprise. He twisted an ear around to catch the next scream from his friend below. "You might want to get down here! Now please!"

"Chi," Theo uttered with an annoyed roll of his eyes. He got to his feet, jumped right off the edge of the balloon he was standing on, and while falling grabbed onto the rigging attached to both ship and balloon to stop his descent. He looked down with interest to the deck and paused, eyes going wide in shock.

Bunnies were correct.

The whole upper deck was covered with the multicolored rabbits. The sheer number of them was what caught Theo off guard. He had thought that he would have heard them jump onto the ship. Speaking of which, how the heck did they get on in the first place?

He had no time to come to a conclusion. The rodents were in the process of trying to take out Danny at the controls. The poor ghost boy was constantly pushing the fluffy things off the control panels and the helm wheel. In the mean time, they were jumping at him and clinging to his jumpsuit to prevent him from doing anything. Danny would simply phase through them, but Theo could tell from his view of the boy that Danny was getting fed up with the abuse.

Theo dropped down to the deck and then realized that had been a bad move. The bunnies all turned his way and jumped at him. Theo ducked and dodged the first slew of bunny attacks, but it didn't take very long for the mass of critters to overpower the demigod.

With a final grunt of anger and frustration, Theo dropped to his stomach with a few good tons of bunnies sitting proudly on him.

"Get off me, you stupid animals!" Theo barked at the swarm of bunnies. He tried to squirm out of the pile sitting like a mountain on him, but all he managed was to get angrier. After some minutes of useless struggling, it was clear where things were going. The direction was south…literally.

"No! Don't press that!" Danny shouted at a lone bunny that had gotten through his defenses. The bunny actually smiled wickedly at the ghost boy and slammed a paw down on the quick descent button that was only used for speedy escapes in a chase. The boy let out a fearful scream as the ship suddenly began to drop. The bunnies squeaked in surprise as they all became airborne. Theo saw his chance to escape.

_BAM!_

Theo let out a hiss of pain as the load of bunnies landed back on him as the drop button was released. He coughed a few times, desperate to regain the air that had been rudely forced out of him. For the millionth time, the demigod cursed the creatures in his head.

Danny wasn't having a swell time with life either. The abrupt stop had sent him to his butt. A mass of bunnies all ran and jumped onto him when seeing him down. He was under the heap when he heard a voice from the helm.

"VICTORY!" one of the bunnies cried out to his comrades in triumph. All the other bunnies cheered in joy and excitement. Theo stopped his struggling to stare up at the lead blue bunny on the helm in total surprise.

"The heck?" he said in confusion to no one in particular. "Talking multicolored rabbits? What is this? Easter gone freaking wrong?"

"Don't know, don't care," Danny said as he phased through the wooden deck in front of his friend. "But let's give these guys a run for their money."

Blasting upward, Danny called out to the rabbits, "Hey, bunnies? You guys want this ship, you're gonna have to catch me first!" All the bunny heads swirled up and around to look up at the floating ghost boy. They all jumped and hopped to the one place under the teen and tried to hop high enough to catch him. Even the bunnies on Theo ran off to capture Danny. Apparently they weren't geniuses.

Theo shook off the remnants of bunnies before running to the helm to gain back control over where the ship was being steered. They had been safely circling the Terra on its outskirts. Now they were in the thick of the territory with no sense of direction. Theo knew they were in trouble the second his hands grabbed the spinning wheel.

Then things got worse. The bunnies all turned human.

With little clouds of smoke, all the fuzzy, Easter colored bunnies all turned into random humans ranging from kid to adult sized. Them returning to human was great…except for the fact that humans weigh ten times more than the mere rabbit. The extra weight had instant results.

No one had time to react. Danny managed to look down with a grim look on his face from where he was hovering above the crowd of humans. Theo could do nothing at the controls. He just hoped that the owners of the castle wouldn't mind too badly if their green house got a bit smashed.

Meanwhile…

"I'm gonna kill the boys for this," Zara muttered. She spun her Danny Phantom form sideways to keep Bertrand in her sighs but to also look over to the newly arrived Spectra. The female ghost was dressed in a green and purple skin-tight jumpsuit that had a bit of a futuristic flare to it. It was made to show off her young, pretty body. She smiled evilly at Zara as if she was a cat sizing up her mouse.

Suddenly a large shadow engulfed the group. Normally someone would think it would be a cloud, but Aphrodite's Terra didn't have any that were that big and dark. The goddess preferred to only surround her Terra with storm clouds. But never would she let an ugly gray one pass by her perfectly kept maze garden.

The simple answer was that it wasn't a cloud.

The three ghosts paused in confusion before looking upward. Melody, who was still in Zara's arms, glanced up too and instinctively held on tighter to her Guardian. It took only a second for Zara to realize what it was that was coming down on them.

"Speaking of the boys," she said with a tired sigh.

The ship hit the glass dome covering the garden at an alarming speed. Glass shattered on impact and rained down on the group below as the boat kept falling downward. Bertrand and Spectra screamed in distress before flying off to get out of the way. Zara made a split second decision before blasting off the way Bertrand had headed to evade the final impact of the boat.

"What the heck do those stupid boys think they're doing?" Zara seethed under her breath as she flew with Melody held tight in her arms. A second later the bow of the ship smashed against the ghost shield, broke through the invisible obstruction, and crashed into hedges and dirt pathways till ending up on its side and finally coming to a grinding stop.

By that time it had already taken out half the maze. Human bodies were strewn all over the place. The newly turned humans were all moaning in pain or knocked out from the accident. Theo was on his stomach, close to the ship, grimacing as his body ached like mad and the cuts the broken glass gave him throbbed. Somehow, everyone survived.

"Hey! Mind telling me why I can't get through?" Danny yelled down at Theo from where he was floating above. He was stuck behind the invisible ghost shield. He was used to the green ones he could see, so he was confused by this one and had already gotten shocked once to know how to stay away from it.

Coughing on the thick cloud of dust that lazily hung in the air from the boat crash, Theo dizzily got to his hands and knees. He was about to stand up to respond to Danny's question when right there sitting a foot in front of him was the Amulet of Tula. There was a moment where Theo was too stunned to react. He just stared with wide eyes at the humming sapphire gem gleaming in the middle.

Theo lifted a hand to reach for the amulet. His fingers were about to brush against its metal surface when a leather booted foot stomped down on the chain connected to the amulet and pulled the thing away from the surprised young man.

Confused, Theo looked up from where he was still on his hands and knees. He frowned when seeing a smirking Spectra there. "How kind of you to find the Amulet of Tula for me," she cooed down at him. Her smile broadened evilly before asking, "You're Vlad's foolish little pet, Theo, right? Here to make sure Aphrodite is fine and dandy?"

Theo was too bewildered to react. Slack jawed, he just stared. He had no clue who this woman was.

"You're too late," Spectra said with a sharp, cruel laugh. She held up her prize and continued her little monologue with, "And with this to heighten my power finally, I'll be able to – AH!"

With a single shot, Danny had successfully hit his target. Spectra gave a scream as she was cut off mid sentence by a ball of ectoplasm from behind. A green cloud burst on impact as the lady fell forward without much grace. Theo quickly rolled out of her way as she landed in a daze where he used to be. He shot his gaze up to Danny, the question written all over his face.

"What the heck is _she_ doing here?" Danny yelled at Theo as he ran over to his friend. "And what is with the invisible ghost shield? I had to turn human to get down here. What is going on? Where's Zara and Melody?"

Theo picked himself up calmly but with his ears flat in deep exasperation. "Like I said before, kid," he muttered to Danny, "You ask too many questions. Now shut up so I can figure out what's on. I'm just as confused as you. Who is she?" He indicated the she by nodding down at Spectra…who wasn't there.

"Where did she go?" Danny asked, dumbfounded at this point.

He got his answer in the form of a high powered, pink ectoplasm ball slamming hard into the side of his body. The teen didn't even see it coming. The force sent him air borne and flying till finally landing roughly a few yards away from where Theo was standing.

Another well aimed ectoplasm ball came at Theo, but the half sphinx was already prepared. He raised his hands up at the incoming fireball and evenly took the full blunt of the attack. The power forced him back a step or two, but his fire abilities let him diffuse the fire right out of the ball. He gave a slow, deep breath while bringing his smoking arms back down to his sides.

"Impressive," Spectra said with a brief fascinated gleam in her emerald green eyes.

Theo didn't say anything back. He simply turned his body sideways to make himself a smaller target and prepared for another attack from the women. He didn't even glance over to Danny who was struggling painfully to his hands in knees. The hurt teen panted heavily as he put in a great deal of effort to then get to his feet.

Suddenly she was gone. Theo blinked and her floating, smiling form vanished. A gasp didn't even escape him before he felt the ghost's presence right behind him.

"But you're too slow," Spectra smoothly said into Theo's ear.

Desperately, Theo turned to counter her quick attack. He felt like his body was in slow motion as he watched her throw her hand back. He could do nothing. She was just too powerful with the amulet on. All he could do was prepare for the impact. A second later Spectra's glowing pink palm landed on Theo's chest and she blasted him right into the ship some yards away from where they stood. The force was so strong he smashed through the wooden paneling keeping it together. The half sphinx landed somewhere in the dark depths of his ship.

Danny watched in expecting dread as Spectra turned her eyes on him. They had a wicked pleasure in them that looked upon the ghost boy mercilessly. Danny suppressed a wince once he was standing up. That hit from here had been worse than one of Vlad's. That amulet had unspoken powers.

"Now what should I do with you miserable Guardian?" Spectra asked with pretend coyness. She giggled at Danny's look of puzzlement. "You've captured the little ghost boy quite well, Zaramama," she told him. "You even have that stupid human expression spot on. You were always the best at detail, Bertrand tells me."

"Why are you here?" Danny asked her, deciding to ignore the fact that she was mistaking him for Zara. Maybe the off-beat Guardian had some plan going on behind the scenes. He didn't want to screw anything up.

"For someone as bright as you, I'm surprised you asked," Spectra said. "Isn't it obvious? Aphrodite was always my pawn. Whatever that stupid goddess did was really an order from me. She was the perfect host for my parasite-like powers. I suck the negative emotions from someone. The girl might be the goddess of love, but she has little happiness. I saw through those little cracks of hers and have been feeding on the women for years now without difficulties. With her powers, I had a life time supply of young beauty. It was quite easy. She saw me as a mother-figure. I saw her as food."

"That's disgusting," Danny spat out with distaste. A sick pit was forming in his stomach at just the thought. How could anybody be so selfish and gross in that way of thinking?

Spectra laughed at the boy, genuine surprise in her mocking chuckle. "Oh, don't tell me you've never used someone to gain power before, Zaramama," she said with the shake of her head. "Bertrand has told a few stories about you from your early years with the Incas. You were as ruthless as any ghost out there. Don't try to play the saint here."

Before Danny could respond, he heard a whispered voice in his ear, "Don't say or do anything! Just listen to me and obey. She has that amulet. With it, she can kill us all in seconds. She's just playing with you right now. Do what I say, and we might be able to bring her down. We only have one shot at it, though."

The voice sounded like Zara's. She sounded serious and intense in Danny's ear. He looked over to the ear he heard her from and saw a fly buzzing close. Without moving his lips, Danny said, "Tell me what to do."

"Get her to attack you," Zara quickly told Danny, her voice small and high pitched from her fly form. "Right before she does, turn invisible. I'll take it from there. Try to keep up with me."

"I know that look," Spectra sneered. "You're trying to come up with a plan of escape. You and that ghost boy worked so well with each other. But where is he now? Dead, and nothing more than a pitiable memory inside your head."

All Danny could do was stare at the ghost mocking his actions with resolved confusion. What was she talking about? He tried to get an answer out of the fly by his ear, but Zara was gone. The Guardian was like a hunter with a spring trap, always waiting patiently for the perfect time to capture her unknowing prey. Danny was just thankful to have her on his side. She would scare the crap out of him if otherwise.

"It doesn't matter now, though," Spectra was saying. Danny was starting to believe that the many centuries had made the woman dreadfully long winded. But these were concluding words, so he needed to perk up and get ready to put Zara's plan into action. Spectra gave Danny a ravenous look before saying darkly, "You'll be dead in less than two seconds."

Danny knew what was coming next. He had watched in shock when Spectra had suddenly appeared behind Theo and blasted him away. He hoped his friend was alright, but at least he had learned something from the experience. And that was to act then and there.

"This better work," Danny muttered under his breath. He then turned his body invisible…and saw it reappear behind Spectra.

"You think the kid was the brains of the group?" the other Danny asked. He stood tall with his hands placed firmly on his hips. Pride and confidence oozed out of his voice. "You gotta be kidding me. Zaramama was here at the beginning of time, and I plan on living to see the end of its existence."

"Impossible," Spectra breathed in surprise. "You don't have the amulet. You shouldn't be able to move that fast, especially for a Guardian."

"If I was a cliché villain, I'd be telling you the diabolical and evil way I obtained the powers to move that fast," the pretend Danny said with a chuckle. "But thankfully, I'm not you."

A flash of anger crossed the emerald eyes of the ghost, making them for a second turn the color red in her fit of rage. But Spectra had lived this long for the same reason Zara had. She was smart. She knew how to turn her temper down and handle the situation well.

"Oh well," Spectra said with a careless shrug. "All I really have to do is keep you occupied for a few more minutes. With your filthy human master gone, I sent Bertrand to search for her…and kill her. I just have to stall you long enough for him to do so." Here, the powerful ghost threw her head back to laugh. "You Guardians are so pathetic. Their little masters die and they get sent back to the ghost zone. I'd feel pity if I could."

"Don't get so cocky," Zara snapped back, "I won't be going anywhere if I simply kill you before Bertrand kills my master."

"I'd like to see you try," Spectra scoffed. "Maybe you could if I didn't have this amulet. But the odds are severely against you."

"So if I took the amulet off, you'd have no power?" Danny asked from behind the woman. With a gasp Spectra turned to see the real Danny standing there with a grin. She glanced back to where Zara was standing, but the Guardian had turned invisible. Spectra looked back at Danny and watched as he vanished before her eyes.

"I'll be taking this then," Zara said as she appeared right in front of Spectra, her hand wrapped around the Amulet of Tula. For a moment Zara was able to pull back on the chain looped around the other ghost's neck. But things quickly turned ugly.

The amulet activated the second Zara touched it. The amulet was specially made to collect the lingering ghost substances from around it, make it into usable energy, and give it to the wearer. When Zara touched it, the amulet began to suck in her powers at an alarming rate.

"Ah, stupid!" Zara shouted as she watched her form begin to dissolve. The edges of her body began to waver and turn into a murky smoke substance. Somehow, she was able to keep a hold on the amulet and keep pulling. Spectra tried to pry the Guardian's fingers off her prize with cries of outrage.

"Zara!" Danny called out while reappearing. Spectra, flabbergasted, turned her attention on the ghost boy floating beside her. Her perfectly plucked and slim eyebrows furrowed downward in profound confusion. Two ghost boys? Was that possible? Was this one the original? If so, how could that be?

Thinking fast, Danny raised his palm with an already forming ectoplasm ball in it. His hand glowed an electrifying green as his powers collected in his fingers. Spectra, eyes wide, saw the blast coming.

Still trying to yank the persistent Zara off her necklace, the woman ducked Danny's shot with little breathing room. She used the power from the amulet to speed her movements, bring up her free hand, and blast Danny away with another pink ectoplasm ray. With a cry of pain, Danny was blasted away and landed roughly on the dirt ground.

"Come on!" Zara pleaded through the agonizing sensation of her whole essence being sucked into the amulet. With one last desperate pull, the chain snapped. Spectra watched in astonishment as Zara fell back from the momentum of her pulling force and landed on her back breathing hard…with the amulet firmly clutched in her hand.

"NO!" Spectra screamed.

"Spectra! I got her!"

All eyes turned to see what new surprise was going to come their way. They saw Bertrand standing next to the ship with a found and captured Melody in one arm. In the other was a cold, gleaming knife pressed to the little girl's throat.

"No, let her go!" Danny pleaded from where he was still on the ground. Getting hit with another powerful blast had hurt him more than the first. He could barely get to his feet now.

Spectra made sure the meddling teen stayed down and where she wanted him with another cold blast of energy. This one, although not as powerful as the others, depleted the little energy Danny had left. With a bright flash of light, he was forced to return to human form. He was left staring up into Melody's wide, frightened eyes, helpless. Those gold eyes pleaded for him to rescue her. The pain of not being able to fulfill her hopeless request was even more excruciating than the pain his body was suffering.

"I don't know who exactly you are," Zara frostily said down to Danny, "But I guarantee that I could give you over to Plasmius for a good price. You and that cat boy are in a load of trouble. Both of you won't be any threat after that Guardian's master is killed."

"Kill her and you'll regret it for the rest of your life, Bertrand," Zara hissed at her fellow Guardian. "I am _not_ kidding. I will come back here and personally end your life. Get that? I've worked too hard to be sent back now."

"Kill her, Bertrand," Spectra ordered her own Guardian without any emotion. Melody let out a piercing scream as Bertrand began to dig his knife into her throat.

"I'll destroy it!" Zara screamed for everyone to hear. Spectra spun around. She saw the weakened Guardian with the Amulet of Tula raised above her head and ready to be smashed upon the ground.

"Stop!" Spectra snapped back at Bertrand. Annoyed, the Guardian sighed and stopped his killing actions. This was typical Zaramama. She always had the plan, then the backup plan, and some other plans for if that backup plan didn't go as she liked. Somehow, all this had been arranged in that head of hers. He was just waiting for the final surprise. He was sure it was soon to come. And with the reveal of the other ghost boy, he didn't know what to expect.

Panting and shaking hard from the effort of just sitting, Zara held the amulet in both hands above her head. Everyone was silent, waiting for the Guardian to say or do something. They didn't expect what came next. She flashed her adversaries her trademark evil grin and said, "You should have killed her."

Before Spectra or Bertrand could comprehend the sentence, a flash of blue and white light exploded out of the shadows of the ship behind them. The rays simultaneously captured Bertrand and Spectra in their blinding lights. The two screamed in alarm and fear as they were sucked into a thermos.

The ending action only took a few seconds. After the two ghosts were gone, Theo appeared from the hole in his broken ship, Bob floating tentatively by his head. Some patches of his fur were singed, but he looked fine. In each hand he held a smoking thermos that had recently been used on the two ghosts.

"Don't ever take a chance like that again," Theo growled down at Zara. He then walked over to the stunned and sobbing Melody with his eyes holding a soft pity in them for the poor child. He bent down and picked the crying kid up. She clung to him like her life depended on it and buried her tear sodden face into his chest for comfort.

"My plan came out just fine," Zara said from where she sat. She still had no energy left from pulling the amulet off Spectra. Dissatisfied with her fading Danny Phantom form, she transformed into a black jaguar cub. "If Danny hadn't been so passionate, it would have been perfect. You revealed yourself because of your stupid concern for me. If my plan hadn't worked, you and Theo would be on your way to Vlad's Terra in only the matter of minutes. After that, I'd guarantee you all that everyone would get killed and the Rebellion's last hope would be crushed. Stupid human emotion."

Danny shot her a nasty look from where he was trying to get up to his feet. Theo couldn't help him because he was holding onto Melody. "Since when was caring a crime?" he spat back at her.

"I'm not stating it ever was," Zara defended herself to him. "Just this time you should have used your head. You shouldn't have revealed yourself to them. You can't always let your emotions control your actions."

"I get it, you don't want me to care about you anymore," Danny angrily said to her. "I guess you want everyone to be like you, gambling with even your master's life. How was that part of your brilliant plan? Look at Melody! She's scared to death! Don't you have _any_ compassion for a single human soul?"

"You know me, Danny," Zara said, a hint of desperation in her voice, "I don't naturally come with sympathy and kindness. Taking care of Melody is a job. Baby sitting and coming up with plans for you two idiots is a job. You think I like being here? No! If I had to care for every master I've come into contact with, I'd be dead. So I don't care about cat boy. I don't care about you. And I don't care about Melody. Got that now?"

"You're lying," Danny said softly. Theo raised an eyebrow in surprise. Zara almost looked mortified at such a ridiculous assumption. Danny lifted his blue eyes to stare into Zara's black ones. He gave her a sad, disappointed look before turning around and walking off. Silently, Theo followed him with Melody still crying in his arms. Bob gave a tiny, gloomy sigh and floated away.

"Stupid boy," Zara whispered painfully to herself before getting up and despondently walking after them with her head down.

A/N: I have many plans for next chapter. I'm gonna try to make that one long so to make up for skipping out of updating this one for weeks. Also, expect it to come out tomorrow or Monday. It's all part of my plan of forgiveness to you great readers. I hate skipping out of updates like that. So expect the next chapter very soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing. You guys are great!


	11. Chapter 11 Scoping Out the Dipstick

A/N:

A/N: This was a fun chapter to write. Two new characters are introduced. One you guys know well, the other is my own. Not much else to say but that I suck at keeping promises and hope you don't mind this chapter being way late. Oh well. Thanks for reading and enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Danny Phantom characters. The rest is mine, so please don't use.

Chapter 11 Scoping Out the Dipstick

Giving a tired sigh, the ghost took off her three pointed hat and wiped off some beads of sweat forming on her brow. By the way things were going, her boss, Vlad Plasmius, had some things to worry about. First, Dionysus's Terra and now Aphrodite's. The captain of the most feared sky pirate ship, _Broken Heart_, hadn't established her position for nothing. Ember McCain was quick enough to know that something fishy was going on here.

Trying to sooth her tense nerves, Ember absentmindedly picked up her guitar. She sat on the railing of her ship and let her fingers slowly travel over the cords of her instrument. Her flaming blue hair cracked with energy as she played on in contemplation.

"This must be serious if you're playing that thing," a voice said from her shoulder.

Ember scowled in annoyance and looked over to see a bright yellow bird perched on her shoulder. The young Guardian she had been assigned to by Vlad always said things like that. He treated her like such a kid. But then again, he was a few centuries older than she was and ten times wiser. But she didn't care.

"What did you and the crew find, Takashi?" Ember growled out.

Takashi flew off his master's shoulder and transformed into his preferred form, a young Japanese boy of maybe 17 or 18 years old. He had a lithe figure and a handsome face with a strong chin and pointed nose. He had the habit of keeping his hands in his pant pockets. Now was no different. He gave off a false sense of aloofness that sometimes drove Ember up a wall.

"Aphrodite is gone," Takashi announced without much care. "Penelope Spectra and her Guardian are gone too. There are no traces of them. The humans that Aphrodite had turned into rabbits have all transformed back. Most of them escaped. The rest we have captured."

"What do you think happened to the ghosts?" Ember asked as she delicately put her guitar in its place next to the helm. Her tranquil time by herself was gone now that Takashi showed up with the report on Aphrodite's Terra.

Takashi smiled slightly before relaying, "I suspect that the glass dome being broken and the maze garden being crushed had something to do with it. But, hey, I'm not the detective here."

"What?" Ember asked in shock. "Why was the dome broken? What could smash it?"

"A ship," Takashi answered. "A ship dove into the dome, smashed it, and then crashed into the garden. An indent in the dirt was enough proof that a ship had landed there. But the repairs have been made. The ship is gone. It must have been a rather small one. The hole it made in the dome was not large. It looks very much like the renegades from Dionysus's Terra."

"You are in no position to make guesses like that," Ember snapped at him with a glare. Takashi's smile quickly faded with the harsh tone of her voice.

"I am sorry, master," he said quietly. "That wasn't my place."

Ember regarded her Guardian for a silent moment before shrugging carelessly and saying, "Jeez! That's what I get when Vlad assigns me a dipstick Guardian who worked for a detective for generations." She briskly walked off while calling over her shoulder, "Follow me, Tak."

"I've told you a million times, master," Takashi said through clenched teeth, "My name isn't Tak. I don't have nicknames." He followed her nonetheless. He already knew where she was heading.

"Oh shut up, stupid," Ember said with a wicked grin. "It's the best way to tick you off. That, and making you clean my guitar. By the way, you forgot last night. Are you slacking off in your duties?"

"You made me check the quality of every solar cell in our balloons yesterday," Takashi said dully. "I had no time."

"Aw, poor baby," Ember said sarcastically. She went below deck and to the first floor of her massive battle ship. A hallway with doors presented itself to the two. She picked a door labeled _Scope Room_. The two walked in and closed the door behind them.

The room was solely for the purpose of a high powered telescope. It was one of the perks of working for Vlad. You got all the best gadgets and newest technology he could offer. While the rest of the world was regressing back to the dark ages, Vlad and his workers were light years ahead.

"Power it up," Ember ordered her Guardian. Takashi didn't hesitate to obey. A wall was covered with buttons and switches. With one hand still in a pocket, he single handedly turned the futuristic spy glass on. When done, he returned the hand into its pocket and watched his master work emotionlessly from the sidelines.

Ember sat in a faded leather seat with a device hooked up to the front of it that looked like a submarine's eyehole. The ghost girl watched as small lights on a keypad on her left armrest turned on. The computer that Takashi had booted up began to hum to life. Ember typed in a few keys on the pad and the seat began to spin to the coordinates she had punched in. When it was done, she grabbed the handles to the telescope and looked through.

"Why do you think they went westward?" Takashi asked with interest.

Ember paused and thought about it. She shot a glare down at her Guardian and barked back, "Where else would they be heading? If they are these renegades you so daringly believe they are and their motive is to wipe out the ghosts ruling the Terras, then Vlad's Terra is closest. They're heading that way." By then her blue hair was shooting sparks out of her head.

Takashi pondered his words for a moment before saying, "You're logic is there, but it isn't right. Think about it. They started off with Dionysus. You're probably stronger than that lazy god. Then they ended up on Aphrodite's hidden Terra. That means they were originally traveling eastward, away from Vlad's Terra, and bumped into the hidden one. If that is correct, then they must be heading east and for the nearest Terra that way. They don't want to take the strongest of the gods on this soon. They are building themselves up to it. Try east, master."

"I hate it when you're so freaking smart," Ember told her Guardian with distaste. When she changed her direction and looked into the scope, Takashi let himself express a satisfied smile as he waited for her to spot their target.

"Found them!" Ember said with delight. "Turn the monitor on, dipstick!" Takashi complied by simply pressing a button on the computer wall. He watched with mild interest as the wall opposite blinked to life. It showed a larger picture of what Ember saw in her telescope.

"Vlad never told us that Theo got loose," Takashi commented when observing the screen. It was easy to point out the half sphinx at the helm of the ship, idly keeping track of their flight. Cat ears and a tail are hard to miss. "Again," he added with a sigh.

"Seriously," Ember said in aggravation, "How hard is it to keep the cat boy locked up? Vlad must suck at keeping his prisoners. And why wouldn't Vlad tell _me_ that Theo escaped? I'm his greatest pirate out here."

"Do you want me to answer that?" Takashi asked with the raise of a dark eyebrow.

"Shut up!" Ember snapped at him. "I hate you, remember?"

"Who's that ghost with him?" Takashi asked, ignoring the question plainly.

"Where?" Ember demanded to know.

Takashi walked up the monitor and pointed the ghost boy out with an index finger. "Him," he said. He covered his chin and mouth with the hand he had pointed with in deep thought. Ember saw this and said nothing to disturb him. She knew that look from many times before. So she looked at the screen to observe the mysterious ghost boy.

"IT'S THE DIPSTICK!" Ember screamed suddenly, scarring Takashi in the loud process. He gave a shout while jumping away from her.

"Yeah, I'm right here," Takashi said timidly with a wave.

"No, not you, idiot!" Ember yelled at him. She pointed at the ghost boy and said, "That's the dipstick! It's Danny Phantom! But how did he get here? He died as an old fart generations ago."

"Danny Phantom, huh?" Takashi asked, back to his composed self. "That's where I've seen him. His true identity is Danny Fenton. I know him from the past. His sister, Jazz, was the one who started the movement for Guardian rights back in the 21st century."

"And look where that got you guys," Ember took a stab at him with a wicked grin. Takashi ignored her as he stared at the picture. "Don't pretend you didn't hear, Tak," she relentlessly persisted.

"I heard you, master," Takashi told her. "I just refuse to comment." He noted her frown with inward triumph before moving on to say, "That's definitely the young Danny Phantom. He's come from the past. With Theo's knowledge of the Infi map and a master of portals, it isn't far fetched to assume Theo found a time one that sent him to the past to retrieve Phantom."

"Vlad's going to have a fit when he hears about this," Ember stated with a sigh. "This kid has pestered him from day one. I remember him all too clearly. Just when you think you've won, he was always there to ruin it all." She smiled down at Takashi and said, "Maybe we should go spoil some of his fun for good old times."

"Maybe we should go call up Plasmius to tell him Danny Phantom is here first," Takashi said seriously up to her. "He's going to want to hear about this." For some reason his master avoided calls to her boss like the plague itself. But this was severe. Vlad needed to know that his empire was in disarray.

Ember thought about it for a second. She broke out into another evil grin as an idea hit her. "Okay," she told Takashi. Her Guardian gave her a quizzical look of confusion. "You can do it," she said while jumping out of her chair. "I'm going to set a course toward Theo and the dipstick. Smell ya later!" And with that said, she ran out of the room.

"Somebody shoot her," Takashi muttered once she was gone.

-Danny-

He gracelessly dropped the pail of water by Zara's side with a frown firmly planted on his face. The Guardian ignored the presence of the teen as she shoved her scrub brush into the sudsy contents of the new bucket, dunked it a few times, and then returned to her intense washing of the deck. She wondered if the boy would get the guts to say something to her today. She could only avoid him for so long.

"You haven't said a word to me in two days," Danny finally said, his voice stern. "I need to talk to you."

"Now?" Zara asked with a tired sigh. "As you can see, I'm kinda busy. Captain Cat boy ordered me to wash the deck and not to do anything else till I'm finished." As if on cue, Theo from the helm yelled at her to shut up and keep cleaning. Zara stuck her tongue out at her other master before saying up to Danny with satisfaction, "You can wait there for another hour to two if you like."

Danny smiled slyly as he took out a scrub brush from his back pocket. "How 'bout I help you out?" he stated more than asked. Zara watched in disappointment as Danny got onto his hands and knees like her and began to scrub the wooden floor.

"I admit defeat, kid," Zara growled over to her helper after a few minutes of awkward silence. "What do you want from me? I give up."

Danny stared at the deck he was washing as he chose his words carefully. Finally he asked her without looking up, "Did you know me in the past?"

Zara chuckled. "What makes you ask?" she said.

"Don't play with me," Danny snapped back, "Spectra talked as if you and I were a team in the past. Did you know me back then?"

"You missed a spot," Zara said, pointing to a white patch of bird poop he had missed. Danny shot the Guardian a dirty look of flabbergast. Zara backed down from the look with a wince. "Jeez, you're serious, aren't you?" she asked.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Danny grumbled back. "I just want to know if I befriended a heartless Guardian back then and if it's a stupid mistake to repeat myself now."

Zara looked up over to Danny seriously this time. She watched with a flicker of surprise in her golden eyes as he roughly scrubbed the deck with a grim and depressed look on his face. She had hurt him. What was this emotion? Guilt? Human emotions were so hard to distinguish from.

"I have rules, you know," Zara said slowly. "I can't tell you much or Clockwork would have my head. He's probably listening to our conversation now hoping I don't royally screw everything up. But, truthfully, I knew you. You actually knew me before I met you, meaning you met me first in the future which is now then came back."

"If that's true, does that mean we beat Vlad in this time period?" Danny asked with hope filling his eyes.

"Like I'm allowed to tell you that," Zara snapped at him, annoyed at his stupidity.

"But didn't I tell you if we won or not once I returned from the future to the past?" Danny asked.

"No," Zara said, "You weren't allowed. Besides, you didn't like bringing up that subject. I didn't like making you feel uncomfortable."

"You didn't?" Danny asked.

"You said so yourself that I was lying when I said I didn't care about anyone," Zara said with a smile. "You were right. When I first met you, I hated you and my master for trying to get me to understand. But," she sighed here at the thought of having to show the boy some compassion, "You stuck with me. You taught me how humans think, how they feel different emotions. And for the first time, I regarded a human as a…friend."

Danny looked up at the Guardian with some surprise in his wide, blue eyes. Zara noticed the boy blush slightly before smiling and saying, "Thanks."

"Hey, it's what you wanted and needed to hear," Zara said with a shrug.

"Out of the way!" Theo shouted at the two as he jumped over the pair suddenly. Danny and Zara watched as the demigod ran to the bow of the ship with a pair of binoculars. He looked through them and didn't take long to come up with the bad conclusion with a loud curse.

"Oh, kitty profanity," Zara said with a playful grin. "That can't be good."

"Zip it," Theo ordered the Guardian as he ran back to the helm. "We're being followed by another ship. A really big ship. They circled us and are now coming back head on."

"Pfgnag?" Bob asked Theo.

"You're probably right," Theo said to Bob. By now they were all crowded around the control panel and helm to discuss their new problem. Even a curious and bored Melody joined them, confused by their tense body language and talk. "Vlad did let it slip that he had a few fleets of his own once," Theo was saying. "But I've never seen a ship of theirs so huge."

"Can you translate that for us?" Danny asked his friend in annoyance.

"Yeah, we don't speak blob," Zara said, shooting Bob a grin that he returned with a frown.

"He asked if they were pirates," Theo told them. "I'm thinking they are. If they weren't, they wouldn't have circled around us and come back like they are now. I'd been keeping my eye on them yesterday for a long time till they disappeared, probably to circle us. They aren't even giving warning signals to me and they are fast approaching. Definitely pirates."

"Then why did you mention Vlad?" Danny asked.

"I once heard Vlad communicating with some pirates when I was working for him," Theo said. "I assumed he had his own group of pirates to keep an eye on things going on outside of his own Terra. I wouldn't be surprised if this one is actually after us and Melody. If the ship is as big as I think it is, they wouldn't bother with a ship as small as ours if otherwise part of Vlad's fleet."

"So when do we begin to panic?" Zara asked this time.

"Uh…right about now is a nice time," Danny answered while staring ahead in shock. The others looked up and froze in fear and amazement.

The thick clouds they were traveling through broke away to reveal that the pirate ship was right in front of them. The flying ship had to be at least 30 times larger than Theo's tiny ship, with a top deck and at least a few floors underneath. What took up most of the room below was its giant hanger bay for other, smaller boats to land and take off from. What took the crew off guard was that the giant hanger bay door was wide open…and they were flying right into it.

"Danny! Turn off the engines!" Theo screamed at the ghost boy. As Danny rushed to one side of the control panel, the dark shadow of the incoming ship engulfed the little one as if foreshadowing the grim future ahead. Quickly, Danny flipped down the switches of the engines of the ship.

"Their all off!" Danny called over to Theo.

"Crap! I have no time to let them power down! Throw them in reverse anyways," Theo ordered.

"They will overheat from the sudden reverse of energy!" Danny shouted back. "Not a good idea!"

This whole time, Theo's crew was watching the ship steadily get closer. They all felt like a little fish in the ocean of sky being swallowed up by the bigger species. They just all hoped this cycle of life would be kinder in the end.

"Reverse half, then!" Theo said in desperation. He glanced over his shoulder to see Danny doing what he said. Slowly, the engines powered by the balloon solar cells began to generate power. Theo threw the wheel one way to spin them into a 180. "Kill the power again," he told Danny once in the wanted position.

"We're kind of _inside_ the ship now," Zara stated the obvious just in case the two idiots didn't understand that they were captured. A scared Melody hung onto Zara's leg while looking around. The hanger bay was swarming with pirates all waiting to get their grubby hands on their new prize. Bob nudged Theo in alarm to get them out of there.

"Turn them all on now!" Theo shouted at Danny. The teen flicked all switched up and prayed for their needed miracle. Theo shoved the gas handle full blast and let off the throttle. Their ship suddenly blasted forward. An engine blew out in the process. Smoke filled the dark chamber.

But the pirates had already predicted Theo's move. To counteract, they had already began to close the bay's long bridge-like door. Theo had recklessly taken the chance of escape, but he saw that it was no use at the last second. The door closed quicker than he had anticipated. In seconds they were going to crash into the metal wall. He had to abort.

"Turn them all off!" Theo screamed. Reluctantly, Danny switched them all off and prepared for the impact sure to come. All of them screamed as their boat crashed into the hanger bay door. They were all thrown across the deck like rag dolls. Without engines or any sun light now, the ship was powerless and useless. It dropped to the floor of the hanger bay with a crash that echoed throughout the bay.

Seeing their victory, the mass of pirates gave cheers while rushing for the final takeover. Theo was just getting to his feet when the pirates boarded his ship with swords and laser guns drawn. He rolled out of the way of a lone laser shot with a growl. He whipped out his dagger and flung himself at a group of pirates with swords. He wasn't going down without a fight.

Danny flashed into ghost mode and took out a few pirates with a well aimed ectoplasm blast. Some pirates started to shoot their guns at him, which the kid avoided with some ducks and flying maneuvers. But the number of pirates was overwhelming. Danny couldn't help but think as he blasted his way through them that he was fighting an already lost battle.

Zara had her own troubles because she had to take care of Melody. She used her ghost speed to dodge the grabs for her or her master, but there were just too many people and Melody was like a burden. She looked up when seeing Danny fly over her to escape some laser fire. It was then that she spotted someone on the parapet on the second floor of the hanger bay watching them with his hands in his pockets and an annoyed look on his face. She felt like she recognized him. He had to be a fellow Guardian.

The young man suddenly brought up a watch communicator and said something into it. This whole time Zara was moving around the deck, flawlessly avoiding the pirates as they came at her. She didn't even need a weapon to take some down. Some well places elbows and kicks was all she needed. But she kept her eyes on the teen watching them.

"We have orders to use the ghost technology!" a call went up from one of the pirates. The word was quickly spread around to the others. In no time at all, they had Danny down. All they had to do was bring out a type of handcuff that diffused ghost power and latch it onto his wrist, and he was forced to transform back into helpless human mode.

Zara watched as the battle against the pirates turned from a stalemate to something totally one sided once Danny was fully handcuffed, gagged, and guarded with some laser guns pointed at his head. These pirates weren't taking any chances.

Poor Theo, as hard as he tried, he couldn't defeat the whole crew. After Danny was captured, it didn't take long for him to go down too. As a pirate handcuffed him, Theo let his fire powers burn the hands of his captor with an evil grin flashing across his features. After being threatened at sword point, the cat boy complied with being tied back up.

"Sorry boys, but those ghost handcuffs aren't gonna work on a Guardian," Zara called down to the pirate crew staring and shouting insults up at her from where she hovered out of reach with Melody. She looked over to Bob who was with her and said to him, "Go hide in Theo's pocket. You might come in handy someday, you know?" Bob looked nervous about the idea of being near the pirates, but the pocket did sound safe and good right about now. With a chirp, he flew down and squeezed into his friend's pant pocket without anyone noticing the small specter.

"Ah, long time no see, Zaramama," someone called up to the Guardian after Bob left. The pirates stopped their shouting and cleared a way for the young man Zara had seen on the parapet a moment before. He looked calm and relaxed with his hands still in his pockets and an amused smile on his lips.

"Takashi!" Zara called down with delight. "I knew I recognized that form! You gone over to the dark side now?"

Takashi laughed lightheartedly up at her. "It's just a job," he responded with a sigh. "You actually call them sides now? How…humanistic."

Zara giggled at his choice of words. "Nah," she said, "Just wanted to get a reaction out of you. I was hoping for more surprise from you. Please tell me if I scared you, even if it was just for a tiny bit."

"I admit, you had me worried," Takashi told her with a grin. "But it should be you who should be worried right now, Zaramama."

"Oh, and how so?" Zara asked with interest in her voice. She would like to know where Takashi was taking this. They had always been considered friends, but masters always came first when they were on the job. Just because they knew each other well, didn't mean the other was allowed or would ever back down when commanded to do so. Sometimes friendly Guardians had to kill each other because of orders from their masters. This was no different case.

Suddenly a net came falling down on Zara's head. With a frustrated yell, she and Melody fell to the deck of the ship all tangled up in the netting. Takashi watched with emotionless features as the net activated and zapped his Guardian friend. Crying out in pain, Zara's powers were yanked out of her essence. Melody hovered over Zara's fading form, too scared to do anything.

After a few seconds, Zara's powers couldn't sustain her current form. She reverted back to the purple mist she originally was in the Ghost Zone. It was only then that Takashi leaned down close to the Guardian with a glass cylinder container even smaller than Danny's thermos that sucked Zara's form right into it. He made sure to stay clear of the netting as he did so.

"Funny," Takashi said as he observed the violet fog in the container, "I just captured the infamous Zaramama. Either it was really that easy…or what plan do you have up your sleeve now, Zara?"

"TAKASHI!" Ember's voice exploded from the Guardian's wrist watch communicator. Takashi gave a startled yelp while fumbling with the container with Zara in it. Fortunately he caught it after a small juggle and gave a relieved sigh.

"What, master?" Takashi asked Ember through the communicator.

"Get your lazy Guardian butt above deck with my prisoners already!" Ember yelled back at him. "What the heck have you been doing all this time, stupid? How long does it take to capture the dipstick and his friends? You are so incompetent!"

"Do you even know what that means?" Takashi asked, surprised by the big word coming out of her mouth. Usually Ember's vocabulary consisted of simple, degrading words that were typically yelled at him. Sure, the girl had her good days where both ghosts could talk normally to each other, that that was strictly rare.

"Shut up!" Ember screamed back, "Just get up here already."

"Yes, master," Takashi said with a sigh. He paused a moment after receiving the command to look out over the mass of pirates. His eyes then rested on Danny, Theo, and Melody who had joined them. Finally he called out in a loud voice, "You heard your captain! I want these three securely bound and escorted up to the top deck immediately. A crew of you should clear this wreck. The rest of you get back to whatever work you were doing." He watched as the men and women obeyed his commands without hesitation.

Holding up Zara's glass container, Takashi whispered to her unconscious form, "At least with you back around, Zaramama, I won't fear leading a boring life this century." He smiled slyly then. "That's for sure."

A/N: Ha, ha! I love Takashi's and Ember's interactions with each other. Those two are a pair! But the plot thickens. What is Zara planning now? Or should I ask, what is Takashi planning? Guardians can be such schemers. I'm going to try and put this fic back on schedule. So next weekend I'll update, and then it will go back to two weeks. But it might change because I'm graduating very soon and will have plenty of free time to write then. It depends. See you guys next weekend!


	12. Chapter 12 The True Master

A/N: Sorry for another delay. I've been so busy this weekend with going to movies and getting a new Apple laptop for graduation. It is awesome! But they transfered all my files from my old computer to this new one and I had to look through all of them and save them into a new file, so that took hours. I've had barely any time to type this whole time. So the chapter is way shorter than I wanted it to be. But this is a fun chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Any Danny Phantom characters you see aren't mine.

Chapter 12 The True Master

Walking side by side, Danny and Theo gave each other concerned glances every so often. A dozen or so men who were buff and equipped to the teeth with weapons escorted them through the many metal hallways of the ship Broken Heart. The Guardian, Takashi, led the trail of people with Melody tailing at the end. He had insisted on holding the glass container with Zara in it the whole time.

These guys weren't taking chances. It was almost as if the boys were expected and warned about. This made both boys on unease. If they didn't do something quick, they knew nothing good would come out of this situation.

Takashi finally led them up the last flight of stairs to above deck. Surprised as just the sheer bulky size of the pirate ship, Danny busied himself by looking around in wonder. Looking up, he saw that giant three main balloons held up the ship. A few smaller other ones were scattered throughout the rigging. Men and women were constantly walking and running across the deck at their jobs. Some were skillfully climbing up the rope ladders that went up to the deck on top of the three main balloons. It was all very impressive.

Theo didn't waste his time sight seeing. With only a few short observations he had gotten what he needed and looked ahead to see where the Guardian was taking them. He needed to come up with a plan fast. In some small way, he enjoyed having the role of plan maker returned to him. It was nice to let Zara be the brains of the outfit for a while, but he missed using his skills lately.

Ember stood at the stern of the ship where the helm and controls were at. The place was much bigger than Danny's and Theo's small ship, at least three times more controls that Danny didn't even want to try to understand. More pirate workers were there now, monitoring everything in silence. Ember had a pretty good crew in her hands. Only the best from Vlad for his best sky pirate.

"Ember!" Danny cried out in surprise when the group stopped in front of the captain of Broken Heart. The ghost stood with her hands on her hips and a cocky grin planted on her features. She really enjoyed seeing the irksome boy expressing such alarm.

"So kind of you to remember me, dipstick," Ember said sardonically. Her evil smile widened as she took in the captured ones presented to her.

"Let us go, Ember," Theo commanded with authority in his steady voice. On the outside he was in control, but on the inside his heart was beating a mile a minute. He was going out on a precarious limb here with this lie. "You had no right to attack us and tie us up like this! I'm on an important mission from Plasmius to capture Danny Phantom because he snuck into this time period. I had him under control, and you idiots just got in the way."

"Is that so, Theo?" Ember asked with a sneaky grin, "Because my Guardian just talked to your boss a day ago. Plasmius mentioned no such thing."

Theo gritted his teeth as this news hit him. They had already contacted Vlad and he had been caught in his lie without even a chance of progress. The demigod's last trump card had fallen flat. He had nothing else to go by.

"It was a good try, though," Ember praised the half sphinx. "I might have fallen for that one if I wasn't already prepared. But I'm not interested in you and you're issues with Plasmius. Ironically, it's the dipstick that has got me fascinated. So shut up, cat boy."

Opening her mouth to go on, Ember's eyes flickered over to her Guardian that was staring intently at the glass container with Zara trapped in it. She wondered what would capture his full attention like that. She decided to break it.

"Takashi!" Ember yelled over at her Guardian. He looked up in surprise and confusion. "What the heck is that crap in there you're holding? Hand it over!" Takashi paused in indecision, for the first time hesitating with Ember as his master. Impatient, Ember demanded with an out stretched hand, "Now, Takashi!"

Quickly now, the Guardian complied, internally upset by his mistake of disobedience. As he handed it over to his master he said casually, "It is one of these captives' Guardian, known best as Zaramama. I'm assuming she belongs to the little girl."

Looking bored, Ember examined the cylinder carefully. "You make this, Tak?" she asked with a raise of a pierced eyebrow. He gave a timid nod, not expecting what would come next. "Impressive," she said after handing the container back to him. "But why would the girl have a highly known Guardian? That's just stupid. And who is the girl anyway?"

Danny shot a look over to an anxious Theo before boldly answering, "She's with me. She's my…cousin. Can't you see it? We have the same black hair." He smiled nervously, hoping the two would buy the quickly made fabrication. But it was necessary. If they knew who Melody really was, it was guaranteed that Vlad would order her death or try to use her power for his own means.

"Then what is she doing here with you in this time period?" Takashi asked.

"She followed me into this time period with Theo," Danny said with little time for thought. "We'd have taken her back, but it would have be too much trouble. Plus, Theo said it would waste too much time."

"Hey!" Theo snapped back at his friend, "It wasn't me who accidentally let their six year old relative go through a time portal. Jeez, you are so irresponsible!"

This whole time Melody stood between the two boys, looking silently up at them as they pretend argued over her. She looked confused over the subject. She didn't understand why they were making up lies about her. She wished Zara was there with her. Her Guardian always knew how to make her feel better.

Suddenly the two stopped in mid sentences. Melody saw that they were staring over at something in shock. She followed their gaze to see…Zaramama.

Takashi, in the perfect from of Zara, stuck a hand out and said sweetly in the Guardian's voice, "Come on, master. Come over here." The boys said nothing in confusion and shock. After a pause, they looked down at Melody between them, expecting her to obey Zara right away. Usually Melody did whatever her Guardian told her to do because an order was for the greater good of both of them.

But Melody didn't do anything. She stood by Theo and Danny, looking at Takashi with fearful curiosity. She had never experienced another Guardian using her own Guardian's form before, but she didn't like it.

"Zara is the girl's Guardian," Takashi informed his master as he transformed rapidly into his preferred form. He returned his free hand to his pocket while explaining. "Only masters truly know their own Guardians. Theo and Phantom were confused and stunned to see me, meaning they thought I was the real Zara for a moment. The girl, not only didn't trust me when I called to her, didn't look surprised at all. She knew I wasn't Zaramama. Only the master can feel the difference. Another good reason why Guardians are such great bodyguards."

"And that's why you're my Guardian," Ember said with a touch of pride to her voice. It were times like these that Ember saw the wisdom in Vlad's choice to assign Takashi to her. Takashi didn't react to the compliment, though. He only stood with his back facing her, staring down at Melody in deep thought.

"You guys stink at lying," Ember continued, addressing the boys. "But why tell me all those things for this pathetic human girl? What makes her so important?"

"Like we know," Theo said quickly, before Danny could speak. "All we know is that she's important."

"We should contact Plasmius about this, master," Takashi said with conclusion. "He'd know about this girl and Zaramama."

"We can always force it out of these boys," Ember said with a nervous smile. The last thing she wanted was to call up Plasmius for a little chat. "I can blast them with my guitar!"

Takashi seemed to deflate in either embarrassment or annoyance, it didn't matter. "Is that really necessary, master?" he asked dryly.

"Fine, we'll do it your way, although its so boring," Ember said with a pout. "Fun sucker," she whispered at him before ordering, "Take them all to a cell. Make sure the cat boy's restraints are fire proof. When you're done, Tak, come to the communication room. I'll be waiting there."

Takashi gave his master a respectful nod before motioning the men there guarding the boys to follow him. He led them down below deck a few floors. Finally they all arrived at a hallway with rooms that were designed to keep in captured prisoners. Takashi casually picked a door, opened it with the quick swipe of his wrist communicator watch, and stepped into the small, brightly lit perfectly square room.

After a few short commands from the Guardian, Theo, Danny, and Melody were sitting on the titled floor with their bound wrists attached to the wall above their heads. Each had their own wall in the room. Theo faced the door. Danny and Melody were across from each other.

"Have a nice stay," Takashi said with a chuckle to the group. He lobbed the container with Zara in it up into the air and watched it land right into the surprised Theo's lap. "Take care of that for me, won't you, Theo?" the Guardian said, grinning.

Theo only scowled back. This wasn't good at all. Takashi had seen directly through all their lies and now was going to call up Vlad about Melody. That was the last thing the half sphinx needed that day. They had to get out of there, but no ideas were coming. This brain lock the demigod was experiencing was frustrating beyond all means for him.

Without another word, Takashi returned his hands to his pockets and strolled out of the room as if he was simply a Japanese school student walking out of the doors of high school after a long day of studying. With another swipe of his wrist watch, the door to the room swished closed and clicked loudly into place, indicating being locked.

"Any ideas?" Danny asked his friend after a pause.

"Shut up," Theo snapped back. "Give me some time to think."

-Few Hours Later-

Drifting awake, Zara suppressed a groan of pain from not only her bruised essence but also her dented pride. How did Takashi put that net into place so fast? She had definitely underestimated the young Guardian's skills. She remembered the time when he was that little novice Guardian working for that detective in Japan. He wasn't that little kid anymore for sure.

A sharp voice cut through Zara's meditative and almost tranquil thoughts, snapping her back to the reality at hand. It was time to get to work.

"Get serious, Danny!" Theo was shouting at the ghost boy. "Sitting here waiting for them to come back for an ambush is stupid waste of time."

"You just don't like my ideas," Danny lamely protested.

"Because your ideas are stupid," Theo argued quite harshly.

"Not as bad as yours," Danny quickly countered. If Theo wanted to insult his plan of escape, he'd do the same. "Let's sit here and watch you come up with a fire ball big enough to melt the door down. 'Cause that doesn't sound life threatening on Melody's and my part!"

"I'll give you something to be concerned about, ghost boy," Theo snarled. He formed a small fireball in between his fingers and flicked it at the teenager with dead accuracy.

"Hey! Cut that out!" Danny shouted as he dodged the fireball by lunging awkwardly to the side with his hands still pinned to the wall above his head. The fire singed the wall, but did no more damage. More fireballs came at the ghost kid. "Ow!" Danny complained. "You are such a control freak, Theo! I disagree with one thing, and you go nuts! Stop!"

"Not until you take that back about my plan," Theo said.

"No!" Danny refused, coming close to being nailed by a fireball that time. His oversized jacket got a little singed. Luckily it didn't catch on fire.

"Whoa! Calm down kids!" Zara yelled above the mass hysteria of shouting. They stopped what they were doing at the suddenness of the Guardian's voice. Theo looked down between his crossed legs where the voice came from and stared dumbfounded at the container that blinked back at him.

"It talked," he observed out loud. What had the young man confused was the fact that Zara looked like nothing he had ever seen. In the container she was still one big mass of purple mist. The only difference now were the two dark brown eyes staring up at his face with annoyance. Where had those come from?

"As much as I love waking up the wonderful view of your crotch, I don't enjoy the fact that you two are killing each other the second I leave you guys alone," Zara sighed. "Seriously, are you two really three year olds in disguise? That would make me feel better and hold more pride."

Theo actually turned slightly pink when Zara said this. It took him a few seconds to get his act together and say down to her, "We were just discussing what we should do to get out of here."

"Really?" Zara said with absolutely no conviction, "And I'm sure throwing fireballs at him in anger was totally part of the civil discussion."

Ears flat now, Theo growled down at her, "What are you getting out of this, Guardian? Do you have a plan or not?"

A chuckle came out of the glass container in Theo's lap, indicating Zara's sardonic joy of getting Theo all wound up. Theo suppressed the urge to snarl or hiss down at her. "Of course I have a plan, master," she said slyly, "Did you doubt the great Zaramama?"

"I didn't!" Danny piped up from the other side of the room.

"Kiss ass," both Theo and Zara muttered in union, glaring in Danny's direction.

"Hey! Why do I have to be the target today?" Danny asked in a grumble.

"Because you're useless without ghost powers," Theo answered before any thought, "Now resist the urge to ask annoying questions so Zara and I can talk about her escape plan."

No one noticed but the silent but ever observant Melody as Danny looked down at the floor with pain written all over his face. Although Theo had been half joking, the comment about him being incompetent still stung. He always liked to think that he could keep up in human form, but now that he thought about it, he really couldn't accomplish anything while in that form. Like now. He was just another load to lug around. He relied on his ghost form for anything productive. He wished that he could change that...but how?

"Have you checked on Bob lately?" Zara asked Theo.

"What about him?" Theo asked her. "You think he can get us out of these cuffs or that heavy duty door?"

"Hm, maybe," Zara said with thought, "But I wasn't thinking on those terms. I was thinking that he could get me out of this container thing or whatever Takashi wants to call it. Think your blob can do that without hyperventilating?"

"Don't underestimate the guy," Theo said with a grin. He shook his leg with the pocket Bob was in to wake up his friend. Timidly, the specter ventured out of his hiding place and looked around the room with careful eyes. Theo gave him a quick run down of the plan, and Bob went right away to help out the distressed group.

Musing things in his own complex language, Bob looked over Zara's container with much interest. Electronic things had always intrigued him. Living in the Tower, he was constantly repairing things for Theo, sometimes begging for him to bring something broken in from his work after the demigod came into his room tired and worn after a hard and troubling day of work with Vlad. This instrument Zara was stuck in was no different.

"You think you got it?" Theo said with excitement after Bob said something.

Bob nodded before gripping the cylinder with his stubby green hands and flying it out of Theo's lap. He put it down on the floor so that a set of buttons on the top were shown. Bob began to press a series of buttons as if experimenting with the thing. After a minute of working with it, the blob had broken the code and typed in the right buttons for an release sequence.

With a hiss, the top of the container popped open. Anxious to be free from the confiding place, Zara zipped out of the container as soon as it opened and transformed into her preferred form with a sigh of happiness.

"Oh, now that feels better!" Zara said while stretching. "I knew that blob would come in handy one of these days."

"Now get us out of these cuffs," Theo ordered her. "The quicker we get out of here, the less time they will have to realize we're escaping."

"Wrong," Zara said while putting her hands on her hips. "Knowing Takashi, he already knows that I'm free from the container. An alarm should be sounding right about...now."

Right on cue, a distant and faded buzzer began to blare outside the door. Zara smiled at the stunned looks of panic on Danny's and Theo's faces. They weren't expecting this at all. And if they didn't expect something other than a surprise attack from Zaramama, then hopefully Takashi wouldn't either. Things were going according to plan.

"The surprise from our escape gone, let's get you boys out of your cuffs," Zara said with a laugh.

A/N: I planned to make this chapter longer, but I found no time to do so. Sorry. So the exciting part is coming up next. Hope you guys liked it. Expect the next chapter in two weeks. Thanks for reading and see you guys all in two weeks!


	13. Chapter 13 How Does She Do It?

A/N: Wow, this chapter was so much fun to write. Hopefully, it will be as much to read. I have a great surprise for you guys in the ending author's note. Nothing much else to say but enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Danny Phantom!

Chapter 13 How Does She Do It?

"Okay, try to guess this old artist, Tak," Ember said with relish. From across the table, a bored looking Takashi stared emotionlessly at his master with her guitar. She only strung one cord and he knew the answer.

"Elvis," Takashi muttered.

Ember paused and looked up at her Guardian with annoyance. Pouting because he was correct for a tenth time in a row, she sat back in her wooden chair and continued the song on her perfectly cleaned electric guitar. Her flaming blue hair sparked with power with every string she expertly plucked. Takashi watched her play with waning interest.

They were waiting for Vlad at the moment. His secretary had put them on hold two whole hours ago. Although irritated by the boss's actions towards her, Ember decided to stay and wait in the communication room. It would be bad if she wasn't there when he did decide to talk to her. And because Takashi was her Guardian, he had to be there too.

"How do you do that?" Ember finally asked.

"Do what?" Takashi said, raising an eyebrow.

"Guess all the songs before you've even listened to them," Ember answered. "It's almost creepy in a way."

"You've played this game with me before," Takashi said. "You plan all your songs out as if you were planning a concert. And if you just eliminate all songs after the date you died, there aren't a lot of guessing as to what you'll play next. And from playing this game before, I know exactly what genres of music you know and can play and which artists you favor. Its simply a process of elimination."

"Okay, then how do you do that?" Ember asked. She was always blown away at how brilliant he could be at times. Usually she just got peeved from dealing with his big head.

"Specifics would be nice once in a while, you know?" Takashi said, his exasperation ebbing out of his voice.

"Never mind, you're annoyed anyways," Ember said with a sigh.

"Not with you," Takashi explained to his master. He glanced over to the muted screen that covered the far wall of the room. It showed the round emblem of Vlad Plasmius with a V and P in the center. Elevator music played as the two were on hold, but Ember had muted it so she could play her guitar in peace.

"I wish Vlad would just take us seriously," Ember mused out loud. "I've been busting my butt as a sky pirate for him for almost a decade now. I haven't done anything wrong. Why does he still put me on hold for hours?" She looked up at Takashi and growled, "Don't answer that." The Guardian let out a grin.

All of the sudden, the wall screen flickered to life. Ember took her feet off the table and put the guitar behind her back as Takashi casually picked up the remote and took the mute off. Both absentmindedly sat up straighter when they saw that it was Vlad Plasmius who stared back at them with his red eyes narrowed.

"Why do you bother me, Ember?" Vlad asked the pirate captain with some cold distain.

"I'm here to confirm the report from Takashi of the spotting of the ghost boy, Danny Phantom," Ember said professionally. Only Takashi noticed that she was nervous. She had always been intimidated by the powerful ghost.

For a brief flash Vlad paused. Takashi saw this as interesting. Was the pause for just a simple thought, or was Plasmius surprised or even disturbed by the random appearance of the ghost boy? This was definitely interesting.

"Have you captured him?" Plasmius asked.

"Yes," Ember said with a nod, "Danny Phantom, Theo, a little girl, and her Guardian, Zaramama."

"Why does the girl have such an important Guardian?" Vlad asked.

Takashi's wrist communicator suddenly went off with a beeping alarm. Ember's glare she shot her Guardian would have blown him to smithereens if looks could kill. Vlad's eyes narrowed even more at the disturbance. Takashi smiled sheepishly under their critical stares.

"I...um...got to take this," he said to the two ghosts. Quickly, he punched in some buttons on his wrist watch despite the aghast expression Ember gave him. He was embarrassing her in front of her boss. What was his problem?

"Zaramama has escaped from her container," Takashi announced as he looked up. "It won't take long for her to get the others out of the cell." He looked over to Ember, expecting her to do something. His eyes pleaded for an order. She had never seen him this way. What should she do?

"Sound the alarms!" she commanded with authority. "Do whatever you can, Takashi. Now!"

"Yes, master," Takashi said with a nod. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a fox. His lithe form jumped off the table and for the door. With a swoosh, the automated door opened for him and he sped off into the hallways of the ship. No one saw the sly smile cross his lips as he knew the race was on. This century was getting more interesting by the second.

-Danny and Others-

"Hold still," Theo told Danny as he delicately took the ghost boy's cuffs in his hands. "Don't touch the metal. Things are going to get hot."

Danny didn't say anything and watched as Theo heated the metal of the cuffs with expert use of his powers. Soon the technology keeping Danny's ghost powers suppressed burned out and Danny was able to flash into ghost mode and phase out of the binds with ease.

"Thanks," he said with a smile.

"No problem, ghost boy," Theo said with a prideful grin.

"Hey, no time for sentimental manners, kiddies," Zara said. "We gotta get out of this cell before Takashi shows up."

"Plan first," Theo said. He picked up a timid Melody and shoved her into Danny's hands. The teen wondered where his friend was taking this. "Danny and Melody, you two are going to try and get to the top deck above the balloons. You're the distraction for Zara and me. Try to get all the pirates to follow you guys to the top deck then fly away from there."

"What are you and Zara going to do?" Danny asked.

"Bob and I are going to sneak down to the docking bay and get ourselves a ship," Theo answered in a rush. "Zara, you're going to find the solar energy room. Wreak havoc or whatever you Guardians love to do. When you're done there, go above deck and help Danny."

"Oh wow," Zara said with an impressed look on her face, "You really came out with a good plan this time. Nice, cat boy."

"Just go," Theo growled.

Before leaving, Zara bent down to Melody's eye level from her place in Danny's strong arms. "Do whatever Danny tells you to, okay?" she said to her master. "Don't get scared. He'll protect you." Melody gave a shy nod that satisfied the Guardian. With a goodbye wave, the Guardian turned intangible and jumped through the locked door.

"Let's get going, kid," Theo told Danny after watching Zara leave.

"Got it," Danny said after switching Melody to his other hip. She was getting heavy. A six year old shouldn't have been carried everywhere, but Melody was a special case. Danny ignored the weight as he grabbed Theo's shoulder, turned them all intangible, and passed through the door.

"See you guys soon," Theo called to Danny as he sprinted full speed down the hallway.

Danny stood there for a moment, watching his friend go. In a way he felt like he was way over his head. Where he came from, there weren't a good supply of ghost gadgets that could negate his powers. This new world seemed to have them coming out the wazo. What would happen if he bumped into another pirate with a set of those ghost handcuffs? What would happen if his powers went out again? What would happen to Melody?

"I promise I'll make sure nothing happens to you," Danny whispered down to the girl in his arms. She looked up at him with her big, golden eyes and gave him a sweet smile. That was a lot coming from the silent child. With a grin of his own, Danny let his holds on gravity go and began to quickly fly down the hall, the opposite way Theo had gone.

It didn't take long for the two to bump into pirates who were looking for them. The loud and obnoxious alarm system was still going off and making people deaf. They came running down the hall with swords drawn. Danny easily turned intangible and phased right through them with a sly grin creeping across his features. That got their attention.

The chase was on. Flying smoothly, Danny rounded corners, passed through unexpected pirates, and basically got the whole crew of _Broken Heart_ to become a confused and angry mess. Theo's plan for Danny to be the distraction was working perfectly.

It wasn't till they got above deck that things turned sour. The ghost boy blasted up the stairs that led to the first deck they had been led to by Takashi only a few hours before. He didn't realize it was a trap for him until it was too late.

The pirate crew let out a unified shout of victory as Danny flew into a glowing green net that had been stationed at the open latch door. Danny gave a shout of alarm as the ectoplasm net activated. A volt of electricity zapped through the teen's body, making him cry out in pain before blacking out.

Melody let a blood curling scream escape her as she and Danny began to plummet back toward the deck. They had still been flying when Danny got zapped. Because she was all human, Melody hadn't, but she was still holding onto her superhero as they fell.

With a sickening thud, Danny landed on the metal deck back first and flashed into human form. Melody landed on his chest, so his body made the impact light for her. With fright filled wide eyes, she looked around to see pirates moving in towards them.

She needed Danny Phantom. The little girl looked down at the ghost boy, tears of fear welling up in her eyes. She started to try and shake him awake. He had promised to keep her safe. He had promised!

-Theo-

Back flat against the wall, Theo waited for the pirates to run by. He'd been traversing the hallways for a few minutes now, and Danny was already doing his job. The pirates were scrambling around trying to get weapons to recapture the specter or just trying to find the teen in general. No one had detected the sneaky cat as he prowled the hallways downward to the launch bay.

"The kid should have a career in being a distraction," Theo said to Bob with a grin. He left his hiding spot near the stair well to the launch bay. He carefully pushed the door open, looked around with all senses alert, and jumped into the room with Bob flying right behind him. Quickly now, Theo jumped down the stairs, taking three at a time. He didn't want to get caught by some stupid pirate in such a small and confining place.

The half sphinx pushed open the next door to find himself on the metal parapet that overlooked the launch bay. He crouched down low when spotting a few straggling pirates that had been left there to look after the dozen or so ships that were docked.

Theo looked up to Bob and put a finger to lips, the universal sign of ordering silence. Going for the sneaky approach, Theo traveled across the parapet, his eyes constantly scanning the area. He found the stairs to the launch bay and took them downward. Once there, the bulk of the stationary ships helped him hide.

"We need to open the bay doors," Theo whispered to his friend. "You think you can handle flying one of these ships once I get them open?"

Bob pondered it for a second before nodding. Without so much confusion and scary pirates around, his confidence was growing. He'd be able to handle the simple job of flying the ship. WIth some quiet chirps, he asked the young man something.

"I don't know," Theo said with a shrug. He looked around for something before pointing at one of the wooden boats and saying, "That one. It looks big enough to fit all of us but still hold its own weight in a sky fight. What do you think?"

Bob made some annoyed chirps.

"Who cares if the solar cells are purple instead of red or yellow," Theo said with the roll of his eyes. "Purple means they have more power anyways." Bob glared at Theo. The half sphinx growled in return, "And I don't care if purple is your least favorite color. We're stealing that ship. Got it?"

Bob muttered something, his glare never wavering.

"I'm not heartless," Theo argued. "Come on, man, I need you for this. Don't get all moody on me now." Bob only stared back, unmoved. Theo sighed in defeat. "I'll buy you a donut next pit stop," he said with a raised eyebrow.

Bob thought this was great news. A smile crossed his face as he gave his friend a lick on the cheek before flying off toward the purple ballooned ship. Theo grinned as he watched him go. It soon turned into a disgusted scowl as he rubbed off the slimy saliva Bob had left on his fur.

"Ah, yuck! Blob drool!" the demigod complained.

-Zaramama-

The solar energy room was big on any ship the immense size the _Broken Heart_ was. It took up almost a whole floor of the giant flying ship. The room was just a long, straight hallway of round tanks stacked next to each other on each wall. The tanks were like giant cylinders with glass doors that allowed people to see and check up on how the solar cells were working in an area of a balloon. The tanks stored the solar energy it took to power the whole ship.

As Zara nonchalantly walked down the hallway, she observed the contents with mild interest. Each tank hummed with life. Their windows showed her orange sparking energy, giving off an eerie glow into the darkened room.

"You're impressive, Zara," Takashi said from ahead. Zara took her gaze off the solar energy and watched as her fellow Guardian stepped out of the shadows and into the light of one of the tanks. He gave off a calm and relaxed vibe with his hands in his pockets and a lazy smile on his lips.

"And how so, Takashi?" Zara asked with a grin. He was quicker than expected. He had improved much since the last time she had seen him.

"I've always pegged you as the sneaky, silent type," Takashi answered. "Setting off the alarm, letting the humans split up, and having the job of destroying the solar cell room is a bit...brash."

"It wasn't my idea," Zara said with a laugh.

"That's what I guessed," Takashi said with a shrug. "When I realized that this wasn't one of your plans, I ran right over. That's why it took me so long to get here. But...why haven't you touched anything yet?"

"I was waiting for you," Zara said. "I wouldn't want to start the fun without you, kid."

"I'm not that kid anymore," Takashi said seriously. A frown crossed his face.

"Calm down," Zara said lightly. "I know. You've improved...a lot. I guess I wasn't a bad teacher after all."

Takashi didn't say anything. He looked down at the energy tank beside him mysteriously. Zara was confused by his actions. No, this wasn't the same Takashi she had left those centuries before. He'd grown up so much.

"What are you thinking?" Zara asked him. She hated the curiosity in her voice. Darn those human emotions!

A dark grin came to Takashi's lips before he looked back up at his old friend. Zara smirked back. "Just wondering what method I should use to kick your butt," Takashi said.

"Let's see you try, Tak," Zara teased back, using the nickname she knew he hated so much.

As expected, the Guardian transformed into a samurai with the full gear. He didn't hesitate to unsheathe his katana. The cool blade blazed like the sun in the reflection of the solar energy. He expertly held the hilt in two hands, waiting for Zara to transform before attacking.

"I'm not the only one who's impressive," Zara said as she observed the form. "You have impeccable detail, Takashi."

"Old habits die hard, as they say," Takashi shrugged off the comment. It was Zara who had drilled him on detail when she taught him to fight and the way of the Guardian when he was just a century old. But that had been a long time ago. He had been only a kid then. Now they were both adults, both experienced, and both serious about winning this fight.

Zara stood up tall as she transformed. She grew a few inches, forming into a tall, muscular female body. Her skin and hair was now dark. Her dress consisted of a top that showed her midriff and a long skirt with a slit up to her thighs on both sides of her legs. Colorful war paint adorned her face. A long wooden spear with red feathers at the end was now in her hand.

"Give me your best, friend," Takashi said quietly.

"Show me what you got," Zara said with a ready grin.

With that, the two came at each other simultaneously. Takashi slashed his sword downward as they met. Zara swiftly rolled out of its way, brought up her spear shaft, and deflected another swipe of Takashi's blade. They circled each other and came back for more, the intensity growing.

This time Zara was offensive. She spotted an opening in the other Guardian's stance and stabbed for it with her spear. Takashi had used it as a trick. The moment her spear lunged for him as expected, he crouched out of the way. With his free hand, he pushed the spear shaft away, spun on one foot, and kicked Zara in her exposed stomach.

Zara took a few steps back to recoup. She winced while touching her throbbing stomach. Again, she had underestimated him. Smiling, she looked into his deep brown eyes. He was going to make this century interesting.

"You done sulking over that hit?" Takashi asked with confidence.

"I wasn't sulking," Zara argued.

"Yeah right," Takashi said sarcastically, not convinced.

"You done gloating?" Zara sneered in a teasing way.

"Fair enough," Takashi chuckled.

With a battle yell, Zara came at Takashi with her spear low. The other Guardian blocked her quick and precise strikes with the blunt side of his sword as he was pushed back from the force of her blows. Enough of her dominating the fight, Takashi turned his katana to the sharp blade, throwing Zara's next stab at him off balance.

The tip of her spear smashed into the glass of one of the solar energy tanks by mistake. The Guardians cried out in surprise and put up their arms to protect their faces when the energy from the tank sparked outward before blowing up. Thick pieces of the tank were roughly thrown around the room. Another glass window was smashed open from the violent debris. That tank exploded too, sending others into the same fate of the first, like dominoes.

"You'd think they put bullet proof glass on these things," Takashi said with a disappointed sigh. "Humans can be so stupid." He gave Zara a startled look as he spotted something. "You're bleeding," he pointed out, surprised by the alarm in his voice.

"Well, would you look at that," Zara said. An irritated sigh escaped her when she saw the wound on her left arm. A piece of glass had sliced her there. On a human, it would have been serious. It would be gone in an hour for the Guardian.

While the Guardian was looking at her wound, Takashi attacked. Grunting with effort, Zara brought her spear up with one hand. The katana sliced through the wooden staff like it was paper. Zara saw the severity of this and backed off from her adversary with a few back hand springs. She was breathing heavily when she landed after her third.

"Sorry, that was cheap," Takashi said with a grin.

"You know what you're problem is, Takashi?" Zara asked. "You play chess by planning five steps ahead."

Takashi slashed downward with one hand. Zara deflected the blow with her tip. The samurai warrior spun around, bringing his blade around horizontally with the hilt in both hands. Zara brought her spear up vertically. The two gave battle yells of effort when their metals collided. The fighters pushed their weight against the other's blade.

"I thought thinking ahead in chess was a good thing," Takashi grunted. Neither of them were budging in this game of strength.

"Oh, yes it is a good thing and your quite nice at it," Zara corrected herself. "The problem here is..." She suddenly shifted her weight off her blade and let Takashi fall forward with a yelp of alarm. Zara whipped around and kicked the Guardian in the back to make him stumble deeper into the dark hallway. "...I'm six steps ahead."

"Huh?" was all Takashi managed to get out. He looked up with confusion at Zara just before he noticed the invisible string of a trip wire she had made him step through. The second time he looked for her, Zara was gone.

"This isn't going to end well," Takashi muttered as he morphed into his preferred form. He could do nothing to prevent what happened next. The glass containers of solar energy exploded from bombs connected to Zara's trip wire. Swearing profusely in Japanese, Takashi turned intangible and watched half the solar energy room explode in the domino effect from before.

-Danny-

He woke up to Melody's screaming. Eyes fluttering open, Danny was slammed awake when he saw the little girl being pulled off him by rough pirate hands. Her hands clutched the front of his shirt, desperate and scared. Danny grabbed Melody's hands and tried to pry her out of the pirates' arms.

"No! Let me go!" Danny shouted when another group of pirates latched onto him from behind and started to pull him away from Melody. Danny struggled in their grasp, still holding onto the girl's hands. The net shorted out his powers. He couldn't turn ghost. But he had promised to keep her safe. He couldn't do this to her.

With one last yank from both sides, the pirates separated the two. "Melody!" Danny screamed, as if her name would bring her back to his still outstretched hand. His heart seemed to be yanked out of his chest when he heard her scream, the tears falling down her face.

She was scared to death. Her Guardian wasn't there and the one who promised to take care of her was being taken away against both their wills. These pirates were violent with her, giving her no comfort or pity. Instinctually, she screamed his name.

"Danny!"

Danny paused in shock and fear at the call of his name from this little girl. Hearing her for the very first time in his life seemed to make something in him snap. This girl needed him. He was going to uphold his promise any possible way he could.

With a hard shove, Danny rammed his one elbow into a pirate's stomach who was holding onto him. With one hand free now, Danny grabbed the hilt of a sword in the scabbard in another pirate's belt. He took it out and swung it at the rest of the men holding onto him. With yelps, they all let the teen go and stepped away. No one wanted to get stabbed by the crazy ghost kid.

"Let her go!" Danny snarled at the pirates holding Melody. He jumped toward them with the metal swinging savagely. The pirates didn't have any of their weapons ready and had no choice but put the girl down and step away.

Danny bent down to quickly scoop up Melody. He then threw down the sword and ran for the side of the deck. Yelling, the pirates all ran to catch up with him. He had surprised them all at first from his unexpected hostility, but they were catching on that the sword macho act had only been pretend.

"On my back," Danny told Melody before leaping up onto the railing. He then grabbed the rope of the rigging that led up to the top balloon. Only because his body was running on pure adrenaline, the teen was able to climb up the rope ladder material with the six year old on his back holding onto him for dear life.

With pirates close on his tail, the teen reached the top deck. Sweating and breathing heavily, Danny threw his legs over the side of the railing and slipped Melody back to his hip. He could hear the cries of the pirates that were right behind him. What was he going to do now? He was still human!

"Run, kid, run!" Zara screamed from behind them suddenly. Hesitating, Danny paused to look behind him to see Zara phasing through the floor. How did she do that? How did she time everything so perfectly?

Side by side now, with pirates bearing down their backs, the two sprinted down the long, wooden deck. Halfway to the bow, the platform started to sway. Danny managed to keep balance as he followed the Guardian faithfully. What was going on? Were the balloons losing power? What did Zara do?

"Jump!" Zara called before she launched herself off the edge of the deck. Danny's last thought was that he hoped the Guardian knew what she was doing before he flung himself off the swaying deck. Below him, a new deck was coming up. Theo's surprised expression was priceless as he watched Zara, Danny, and Melody land precariously on his newly stolen ship.

"We're all here then," Theo said once the trio landed. Smiling over to a nervous looking Bob, Theo cranked the speed and blasted away from the ship _Broken Heart_. They were so out of there.

-Ember-

She couldn't believe it. She stood frozen, watching the ship speed off into the cloudy sky away from her immensely damaged ship. How did that happen? How did she let them get away? How was she going to explain this to the already peeved Vlad Plasmius? Her punishment was going to be painful.

"Well, that was annoying," Takashi said from her side suddenly.

"Follow them," Ember ordered her Guardian without even looking at him.

"Huh?" Takashi managed to get out in his astonishment. He'd heard and understood her command, but he wasn't so sure of her meaning behind it.

Ember snapped her fingers. Takashi cried out in pain as it felt like hot, boiling lava filled his veins. He couldn't move in Ember's hold on him. He shouldn't have disobeyed her. This was his punishment for incompetence as a Guardian.

"You will not fail me again, Takashi," Ember hissed at her frozen Guardian. "Follow that ship, spy on the dipstick and his stupid friends, and prepare to capture them again. Got that?" She snapped her fingers to release him from the painful bind.

Gasping, Takashi was finally released. He rubbed his forehead to get over the painful effects of the bind before nodding to his master. "I was out of line, master," he said softly. Avoiding the sorry because he didn't mean it, he said, "Consider it done."

The Japanese boy leapt onto the railing of the ship. While jumping off into the sky, the Guardian transformed into a majestic scarlet falcon. With a couple strong beats of his wings, Takashi was far enough away from Ember to grumble, "Hope your ship sinks."

A/N: Ah, I just love Takashi. And I'm not through with him yet, you readers will see. Sorry if the chapter was a little bit too long. I just didn't want to end it at a really bad cliff hanger. I give those out too much. Anyways, expect the next chapter next weekend. I think I'm done with updating every two weeks now that school is out. Also, my little surprise is that I got an awesome picture out on DA of a group shot for this fic. So, if you want to go check it out and some other Future Mythology pics, so to my profile on this site and find the link to the pics. Thanks so much for reading. See you guys next week!


	14. Chapter 14 Training Days

A/N: Nothing much to say but that I love summer. Somehow I've only got writer's block for my other fan fiction. This one seems to be impervious to it lately. Sorry if the chapter is too long, though. I got carried away. Thanks for the hits and reviews, guys! Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I own everything except for Danny, Vlad, and any other characters from that awesome show that I don't have the time to name.

Chapter 14 Training Days

"Eat up, ghost boy," Theo said quietly. He held out a black package he had just bought from an island Terra. Some of the island Terras were so small, that they only served as like gas stations from the past for flying ships. They were usually called pit stops and people could buy common ship gear, solar cell technology, and supplies.

"What is it?" Danny asked. He raised an eyebrow in question and skepticism.

"The best stuff you'll eat in this area!" Zara said with excitement.

The ship they had stolen from Ember's _Broken Heart_ was big, with a weapons room and everything, but it hadn't been made with a kitchen. The group was out of food and provisions. They were going to have to buy their meals from pit stops till they had the time to stock up again. At the moment, they had only been free from Ember and her Guardian for a few hours. They were going to have to fly all night.

The group was now sitting all on the top deck. Theo had set up a lantern in the middle of the deck because the sun was setting fast on the horizon. The others had stationed rough blankets they had found below deck around the small light to keep warm. They all missed their old ship.

"Enjoy, master," Zara said down to Melody as she handed the girl sitting closely beside Danny another box...and chopsticks. Danny's weirdness radar was going off by now. What the heck did Theo and Zara buy for them to eat? Melody smiled happily up at her Guardian. She was starving!

"And a donut, as promised," Theo said to Bob at the helm. Bob sunk his tiny jaws into the sweet goodness with a chirp of joy. "Happy now?" Theo asked with a tired grin.

"Why did you buy sushi?" Danny asked with mortification to no one in particular. He had opened his box to find dead raw fish rolled up in rice and seaweed. He was hungry, but he wasn't sure about the choice of food.

"'Cause you can't go wrong with fish," Theo answered. He sat down by the lantern with his own box and slowly began to eat. Danny noticed that he looked weary and worn out. When was the last time he had seen the young man sleep? It had to be a few days ago.

"And that Takashi reminded me how much I love Japanese food," Zara added. She was already finishing up her meal. "It's good, Danny," she told the teen in a stern tone. "Just eat it."

Danny stared down at the octopus sushi roll in his fingers with some distrust. Finally he made up his mind. It was more like his stomach thought for him. With a defeated sigh, the boy gulped down the roll. Surprisingly, he liked it. It tasted different, but it wasn't as bad as he expected it to be.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zara checked up on the small yellow bird that had been sitting on the rigging of the ship for a few hours now. It was still there, trying to look natural with the other birds hanging out on the same perch it was. She smiled to herself. He was so cute when he spied.

"We're going to have to be more careful now that Vlad knows about us," Theo said after a long pause between the group.

"That's going to be a pain in our butts," Zara muttered after a particularly loud belch. It didn't even raise eyebrows. Everyone was used to her messy and bold methods. "That was good sushi," she said with a yawn. "Maybe the birds would like some."

"Why do you care about the birds?" Theo asked the Guardian without much care.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Zara said with a daring look.

Theo stared back at her for a long time. Finally, he gave up with a sigh. "You're impossible," he muttered. "I just can't believe you actually went with my plan back there. You usually find a hole in the system and disobey our commands altogether."

"I try," Zara said with a laugh. It was then she noticed the teen across from her looking down at his feet, his mind entirely somewhere else. She wondered what was in that head. "What's up, Danny?" she asked the kid.

"Oh, um nothing," Danny responded with a shrug.

"You suck at lying, kid," Theo said flatly. "Spit it out."

"No, its nothing, really," Danny quickly insisted.

"Fine," Zara said with a sly smile. She didn't have to wait long for her desired reaction.

"I mean, its just what you said back in the cell," Danny rushed to get it out without looking up. He didn't see Theo and Zara give each other knowing smiles. The kid was too predictable. "Even if you were just kidding," Danny continued, "I think you were right when you said I was useless as a human."

"I was kidding," Theo stated. "Don't get so emotional over it."

"No," Danny said with frustration, "I mean it. I can't do anything in human form. I just kind of run around, waiting for a good time to turn ghost. It was only out of pure desperation that Melody and I managed to survive."

"So what?" Zara said with a bored sigh. She thought this conversation would be more interesting. This always happened when she tried to be nice and use some of those weird human emotions. "That's life. It isn't always fair. You are useless while human, but you kick serious butt while ghost. Get over it."

"But can't I change that?" Danny asked. "Wouldn't it be better for all of us if I learned how to defend myself and stuff? I'm tired of being considered as luggage."

"How are you going to learn to do that?" Theo asked.

"Well...you could train me," Danny said. There, he had said it. It was finally out there.

"Oh, wow," was Zara's stunned reaction. She hadn't expected that one. She looked over to Theo to see how he was taking this. The demigod kept staring intently at Danny, his eyes intense and narrowed. Danny kept up the gaze, trying to portray how serious he was about this subject.

"You aren't joking, are you?" Theo finally asked.

"No," Danny answered.

"Jeez," Theo whispered. He looked away from the teen and stared into the light of the lantern there in front of him. Rubbing his forehead, he pondered the thought for a length of time. Meanwhile, Zara and Danny sat there watching him in awkward silence. Melody was already fast asleep with her head resting upon Danny's knee.

"Swear to me that you won't quit," Theo told Danny with his eyes still on the fire flickering in the lantern.

"You're considering this?" Zara asked in shock.

"If I ever want to improve, I need training," Danny said, ignoring Zara. "I need this. I swear that I won't change my mind. Just tell and show me how to fight."

"It's going to be hard," Theo told him. "You're not going to have any ghost powers to jump back to. It will be pure human power. It won't be like ghost fighting at all. You're going to want to give up...a lot. You might even hate me for a long time. When we're training, I'm not going to be your friend. You prepared for that?"

"I have to be," Danny answered.

"Then its settled," Theo said as he got to his feet. "I'll train you starting tomorrow. Zara, you'll help when needed. You have the experience, I'm sure."

"I've trained plenty of Guardians in my time," Zara said with a sigh, "But I've never had to put up with a human."

"Then you'll be getting a new experience," Theo stated. Zara looked up at him without a response. The half sphinx started to walk away. Behind his shoulder he said to the two, "Danny, you have the watch till midnight. Wake me up then. Guardian, you have the third shift." He then disappeared below deck.

"He's got to be really tired if he is going to take the second shift," Zara pointed out. "Usually he takes the first and doesn't wake us up all night."

"Maybe he misses Rhodes," Danny said. "I've never seen him so depressed like this."

"Who's Rhodes?" Zara asked.

"His wife," Danny answered. "They've been separated for years now because Theo's been Vlad's prisoner for so long."

"Captain cat boy has a wife?" Zara asked with a disbelieving snort. Danny gave her a sleepy grin and nodded. "Oh man, you're serious!" Zara said in astonishment. "Is she cute?"

Danny blushed at this question. "Uh, yeah, I guess," he stumbled for an answer. He scratched the back of his neck out of nervous habit.

"You guess?" Zara said. "What kind of answer is that?"

"She's kind of half fox," Danny said to defend himself. "And I already have a girlfriend. So I'm not really in the position to give you a good answer, okay?"

"A kitsune," Zara said with a nod. "They're always pretty. Kitty cat has caught himself a cute one for sure. Wonder if they're expecting a kid yet. Do you think a fox tail is dominate to the cat tail?"

Danny choked on his sushi at this question. Zara watched him with a cruel smile as he tried to regain his composure. "Whoa, let's leave the baby gossip alone, okay?" he asked. "Go find one of your girlfriends to discuss that with."

"You're cute, ghost boy," Zara said before getting to her feet. She bent over beside Danny to pick up the slumbering Melody. While walking to the open latch to below deck, Zara rustled Danny's hair and said, "Tell me when your gloomy Goth chick is ready for baby gossip with me, 'kay?"

She left a thoroughly disturbed Danny above deck to choke on his food alone. The Guardian winked to the yellow bird on the rigging before walking down the stairs below deck. Only she saw the thing roll its bird eyes in response. They'd talk later. She had plans for that little bird.

-Few Hours Later-

"You really do enjoy torturing your masters, don't you?" Takashi asked Zara the second she put her hands on the helm when it was her shift for lookout. He morphed into his preferred form behind her. The Guardian couldn't keep a grin off his lips.

"I'm addicted, I think," Zara said as she spun around to face him. "Is that bad?"

"Someday you're going to get a master that doesn't find your teasing amusing and punish you," Takashi pointed out with a shrug. "Its not so fun when you're in pain every day."

"Pain is part of a Guardian's life," Zara said. "I think its worth it to take advantage of the fun parts of this filthy earth. Don't you agree, Takashi?"

Takashi's face darkened at this question. "You haven't had my life then," he said emotionlessly. Zara's grin dropped from her face. She could feel the pain and bitterness in him although he never showed it. She had known him long enough to feel his emotions. Close Guardians could do that with each other, just like they could sense each other. That's how she had known he had been that bird from before.

"Takashi," Zara whispered with sympathy. She didn't like seeing her friend like this.

"Had you worried, didn't I?" Takashi said with a sudden grin. Zara forced a laugh. Had she felt that in him, or was she just out of touch because she was filled with such useless human emotions? Was she losing it?

"You're pathetic, Tak," she said dully.

The Guardian laughed at his friend's reaction. "Don't beat yourself up, Zara," Takashi said, "I haven't pulled a joke like that in a long time. You were bound to fall for it."

"Oh, thanks," Zara muttered.

"You seem pretty close to this bunch of humans," Takashi changed the subject. He slipped his hands into his pockets and tried to look nonchalant. "You know Phantom? I remember you were his sister's Guardian back then. I thought you hated it."

"It was crazy in the beginning of the 21st century," Zara said. "You remember the whole Guardian Rights movement. Staying at their place, which was movement central, was insane. I think I was going crazy with the freedom she gave me."

"Although it didn't work out," Takashi mused with a sad smile, "We Guardians had fun those few decades. I saw all of Japan and jumped into a few portals to the past. Its a good time to daydream about. We had so much freedom."

"Where are the former days of glory, huh?" Zara said with a chuckle. "We're just suckers for nostalgia, aren't we?"

"Wouldn't want it any other way," Takashi said.

This was why Zara liked the Guardian so much. He was so easy to talk to, even if they were against each other. She knew she could always sit down and talk about the good old days with him. It used be about training or what masters they had. It was different now because he was grown up and she had been in hiding with the blood line she wasn't allowed to talk about, but it still felt like the past.

"So what are your plans for spying?" Zara asked him while sitting on the control panel there by the helm. Takashi strolled calmly over to the railing close by and leaned against it. He shrugged to answer her question. He didn't like spying. What Guardian in its right mind did? It was a boring job.

"Can I offer you something more appealing?" she suggested.

"You're crazy," Takashi told her without even raising an eyebrow in question or interest.

"You trust me," Zara said. "I know you do. And I know that you're bored. You need something exciting. I could tell that our capture was the best thing you've seen in centuries. Come on, I know you want to do something fun."

"Now, I knew you going to spring something like this on me," Takashi scoffed. "I'm not falling for one of your insane plots."

"Don't you want to hear it?" Zara complained.

"No," Takashi snapped back. "Because I know you'll convince me if you do. You were always so darn persuasive."

"Fun sucker," Zara pouted with the folding of her hands.

This seemed to snap something in the Guardian. His eyes widened in fear and surprise. Zara almost didn't catch it. One minute he was looking moodily out at the dark sky. A second later he was looking straight at her, his dark eyes intense.

"What do you have in mind?" he asked.

"Why the sudden change of interest?" Zara asked skeptically.

"I'm not a fun sucker," Takashi said with a stern shake of his head. "Especially with you. I need something new and challenging in my life. Give it to me straight."

Zara clapped her hands in joy. "That's what I like to hear from you, Tak," she said. "So I'll say it as plainly as I can. We're going to do a switch."

"Like you go pose as me with Ember, and I pretend to be the idiot you are here?" Takashi tried to make it clear. "You sure you want to go be with psycho path Ember? How would we pull this off?"

"Easy," Zara said with a wave of her hand. "Melody is practically mute. She won't tell on you. And Ember is clearly not your true master. You were assigned to her by Vlad. That means Vlad is your true master, but Ember still has control. She won't be able to tell the difference between us."

"You've really planned this out, haven't you?" Takashi stated more than asked.

"I get bored easily," Zara said. "And to answer your question from before, yes. I am willing to hang out with Ember. She might be annoying, but I find fooling her will be a fun challenge. You will have more amusement with the boys, trying to act like me."

"Hah! Being you is easy," Takashi said. "All I have to do is speak my mind and play useless mind games with them all day. No problem."

"Then is it a deal?" Zara asked with an evil grin. Takashi had to keep in his own wicked smile. Was it wrong for him to never mention the fact that she was going to have to do chores for Ember all day? Not in his book. This was Zara's game. Leaving out details was part of the rules.

"Its a deal," Takashi said as they shook hands. While they did so, they both morphed into each other. In Zara's preferred form, Takashi said to his friend with an sly grin, "I bet anything you'll get found out first."

"Really?" Zara asked while putting her hands in her pockets. "Why do you think so?"

"Because you'll suck at being me," Takashi said, becoming his character quite nicely. "Ember's gonna know right away when she sees how much of an idiot you are." He forced an overly sweet smile here to mimic the girl.

Zara raised an eyebrow at this. On the inside she was proud at how great he had nailed her character. He was going to have no problems. "We'll see," was her only response. Out of character, she asked suddenly, "Do you smoke?"

"Huh?"

"You'd look hotter with a cigarette," Zara observed. "You sure you don't smoke?"

"What is this, Japan in the 90's?" Takashi asked. "Get with the times, Zara."

"Well, you'd still look hott with one," Zara sulked.

-Day One of Training-

_WOOSH!_

Gasping deeply, Danny woke up soaking wet in his swinging hammock. He sputtered water out of his nose and mouth, trying to get over the confusion through his dark bangs hanging in his face. And how early was it? Was the sun even up yet? The boy got his answer when he looked up and saw Theo standing there with an empty bucket in his hands.

"You're gonna have to be a lighter sleeper in the future," Theo said with a grin. He was enjoying this part of the training, Danny was sure of it. "What if you're in a situation where you needed sleep, but someone was sneaking up on you? No one is going to wait for you to finish your sweet little dreams of your mom baking you cookies."

"It was a good dream," Danny mumbled. The initial shock was gone. His sleepy mind was retrogressing back to dream world. Five hours of sleep wasn't enough for the boy.

"I don't care," Theo barked back. Without warning, he chucked the bucket at Danny's head. The teen was too slow to dodge or catch it. It knocked the kid right off his hammock with a shout of pain. "Breakfast is at eight. We can fit in a few hours of conditioning before then. Meet me above deck in two minutes." He then left.

"What did I get myself into?" Danny asked himself from his place on the floor still. Quickly, he tried to shake the tendrils of sleep off him as he shoved his body into some clothes. Hoping on one foot, the teen struggled to get his shoes on while going up the stairs to the top deck.

As expected, it was early morning. The sun was just peaking over the horizon. It barely gave off enough light to go by. Thankfully, there was no fog. Danny saw that Zara was at the helm, looking half dead because of boredom. The supposed Zara took in the appearance of the boy with a wide yawn. Takashi was playing the typical Zara. The humans never even gave him a second glance.

Theo was there waiting for Danny when he arrived slightly out of breath. "When I say be up here in two minutes, I don't mean four," Theo sighed. "Get down and give me 50 pushups."

"What is this? Boot camp?" Danny grumbled under his breath as he got to his knees.

"I changed my mind," Theo said. "Give me 100 instead. You are so out of shape. If you can't do 100 pushups, then we have a lot of work to do."

Danny knew he had did this to himself when he signed up for training, so all he could do was suck it up and deal. Theo watched silently as Danny passed 30 and looked like he was going to crumble. Yeah, this was going to be difficult...for both of them. He'd never trained someone this weak.

"Keep going, kid, you're doing lousy," Theo said as he paced. "In the next few weeks, we're going to strengthen you physically and mentally. First, we need to get you in shape. While you do that, I'll teach you how to combat someone with and without a weapon. You are a natural with a sword, so we'll start there. To work on your mental skills, Zara and I will give you battle situations. Read some mystery novels. Maybe we should make you play chess too."

"Chess?" Danny asked in shock. His face was red and flushed from the physical activity. He was breathing hard too as he finished up his last few pushups.

"Quiet," Theo scolded, "I'm not finished. To get you motivated, all your meals are going to depend on your success in training. Now, give me 200 crunches."

"I'm gonna die," Danny moaned as he rolled onto his back.

"Let's pick up the pace, kid," Theo shouted down at him. "You still have some sprints to do."

-Day Two-

Stomach grumbling and gripping for substance, Danny stood dejectedly in front of a calm and collect Theo. He was starting to really feel the effects of training. He hadn't eaten all of the first day of training, only had five hours of sleep that night, and woke up sore for conditioning that morning only to skip breakfast like the day before. He was in no mood to get his butt kicked by Theo a second day in a row.

"Remember, be smooth," Theo reminded Danny. "You aren't very strong like you are in ghost mode. Powerful moves won't do you any good here. What did I tell you yesterday?"

"Be like water," Danny said with a sleepy yawn.

"Good," Theo said with a nod. "Now come at me."

Danny hesitated, knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere but thrown onto his butt. Theo smirked back before rushing forward. He let out a battle yell while spinning around on one foot, his roundhouse kick aimed for Danny's unsuspecting head. The teen let out a quick breath of surprise as he calmly ducked out of the way, his eyes on the foot as it passed above his head.

"Keep your eyes on the main target," Theo lectured as his palm slammed into Danny's exposed chest. The boy was shoved off balance and ended up on his back, coughing to regain his breath.

"That was good," Theo observed.

"That's great," Danny said sarcastically, "Why?"

"You were water for a moment there," Theo said. "So at least you're listening. At some point you'll put everything I've said to use."

-Day Three-

"I have a good feeling about this game," Danny said confidently to the disguised Takashi. "I thought all night about this one."

Takashi had chosen the form of a cute kid with dark hair and glasses of maybe five or six years old. Stupidly, the others hadn't noticed how much the kid looked like the preferred form of Takashi. The boy was just like a miniature version of the teen form.

"Just move, dork," Takashi said emotionlessly. He'd played this game too many times to count with his one Japanese detective master from the past. He had gotten so good at it that he could now beat Zara.

Danny smiled slyly back at the Guardian. He cast observant eyes over the old and faded board on the table between them and its pieces, trying to remember where to move next in his plot for a meal. Finally, he picked his queen, and with contemplative care, moved it to a spot and said with triumph, "Check!"

Takashi, with a short laugh, stood up on his chair to move his piece. Without even looking at the other pieces or thinking on the move, he picked up one of the few pieces he had left and bumped Danny's queen off the board and announced, "Checkmate."

"But...I..."Danny said in befuddlement and shock. "How?" He put his hands in his hair and yanked the black locks in his frustration. He had planned everything out so well. How did Zara do that?

"I'm going to go eat lunch," Takashi sneered at the ghost boy with a wicked grin. He was enjoying this vacation away from proper behavior. He could do whatever he pleased as Zara. It was refreshing. "Don't beat yourself up too much, kid," he told the teen as he changed into Zara's preferred form and walked away smugly.

"How did he do?" Theo asked Takashi as the Guardian walked by.

"He got to check me, but I think I devastated him on that last move," Takashi said with a cruel laugh. Theo frowned at him. Takashi dropped his smile and gave the demigod a guilty shrug. So maybe he still wasn't used to disobeying quite yet.

Theo walked up to Danny who was still sitting at the chess table in stunned silence. "How do you think you did, kid?" he asked Danny. An amused smile crossed his features.

"I just want food!" Danny moaned loudly before knocking his head against the table in despair. The pieces jumped and scrambled because of the thud, some spilling to the floor. Theo laughed. At least the kid was motivated.

-Day Seven-

"Now, you only have five people in your squad," Theo was saying to Danny. They were in the large weapons room below deck. A computer touch screen board was there, and it had become habit for the two to work on battle strategies before dinner for an hour. For Danny, it felt like he was attending military school or something each night.

Danny sat cross legged on the floor, chewing on the end of one of the touch screen pens as he stared up at the board in thought. He was slowly getting used to the training. He wasn't sore anymore and was actually gaining some muscle. He was obtaining meals here and there, but he was still always hungry and tired. That just came with the training, he guessed.

But he didn't feel like he was improving and or getting anywhere. Sure, he was in shape now, but it didn't help in combat practice. He still got a royal smack down by Theo each day, and whenever he held a sword, whoever was training him that day would always knock it out of his grip by swing three or four. He felt inept in the places he needed to get better in.

"Your weapons include five guns for each person and plenty of ammo, and let's throw in some cherry bombs for the heck of it," Theo said at the top of his head. He drew them into the board with his own pen and continued. "What should your squad do if you want to get to the main building inside the enemy's camp, which consists of twice the number of your men?" His brush strokes were crude and sharp as he piled the information onto the board for Danny to see.

Danny kept chewing on the end of his pen, his stare focused on the screen before him. Theo waited with waning interest. Was the teen spacing out again? Did he even listen to what he had just said? The demigod sighed.

"The easiest way is to assign one person to set off the cherry bombs on one side of the camp ground," Danny said suddenly while getting up. He drew his plan onto the board with long but quick strokes of the pen.

"So while everyone is distracted by the disturbance, the rest of the squad can sneak in. The only problem with that is the person with the bombs could be found out, unless you could somehow detonate them from afar. And it also depends on how dumb these enemies are. Anyone smart enough would figure out some bombs going off is a distraction. But with guns, we could take care of the sparse security if there was some left behind from the distraction."

Theo looked over the screen and nodded in satisfaction. He turned to Danny and asked, "What do you want for dinner?" The teen grinned.

-Day Ten-

Snoring slightly, Danny had fallen asleep during his night shift. The book that Mr. Mandrake had given him on Vlad's Terra was sitting open in his outstretched hand. He still needed to read up on the time period. He only found the time to do so on his lookout shift at night.

"I could so tell on you, you know?" Takashi said to Danny as he sat down on the control panel by his resting head. The boy was now a very light sleeper. He gasped awake at the sound of Zara's voice. He took in the situation with horror.

"I feel asleep, didn't I," the teen stated more than asked. "Crap. There goes my breakfast."

Takashi laughed at the ghost boy's reaction. "I won't say anything," he said. "You were only out for ten minutes max."

"Really?" Danny asked in surprise. If he knew Zara by now, he knew she would never let this down or would even blackmail him with it. What was up with the Guardian?

"Unless you want me to tell Theo," Takashi said with an evil grin.

"No!" Danny said quickly, putting up his hands in defeat. He put on a rapid smile to try and secure his meal. "I'm good." Takashi rolled his eyes at the boy's humanistic actions. He hadn't even noticed the mistake the Guardian had just made. His emotional connection to Zara was misleading his intelligence.

Abruptly, Takashi sat up straight, his senses going off on high alert. Danny looked up at him expectantly. The Guardian snapped his head around to look out over the bow of the ship and into the star filled night sky. On the horizon was an ominous black dot. The boys stared silently at the Terra through the eerie glow of the moon.

Even at such a far distance away from the Terra, the two could feel the chilling fear radiating from the mysterious jungles of Demeter's Terra.

A/N: Oh, I'm so excited for my next chapter! Demeter is fun and psychotic. Love her. But I'm thinking of making the rating PG13 for this fic. I've been dwelling on future chapters and a few of them will only be better and realistic with blood and violence. You guys know how Ares can get. Its a thought. But for now it will stay PG.


	15. Chapter 15 Vegetarian Hunters

A/N: Whew! Another chapter that got too long. I suck at making chapters short, I really do. I'm too tired from sleep deprivation to say anything else. Enjoy and review please!

Disclaimer: I own everything except for Danny Phantom characters.

Chapter 15 Vegetarian Hunters

The group had waited till day light to traverse the dangerous jungles of Demeter's Terra. Theo had decided to give Danny a break in their training and told him that he could turn ghost as much as he liked while on the Terra. They had business to do. Training wasn't part of it. Danny was grateful for the break, though. The second he stepped foot on the Terra, he flashed ghost despite Theo's frown. The poor boy hadn't felt the delights of flying for a good ten days. He hated going that long without going ghost.

They had traveled for several hours through the dense, green foliage before stopping for lunch. The Terra was as small as Aphrodite's hiding one, which was huge compared to an island Terra. But it seemed so vast because of the never ending forest of thick, leafy trees, abundance of tangle-some vines, and broad, murky lakes. With Aphrodite's Terra, a cobblestone pathway led straight to her resting place and was easy to spot. This place was confusing, hot, and bug infested. They had no clue where to begin.

"Why didn't we send Zara to check the place out first before coming down ourselves?" Danny asked Theo. They were sitting on a group of rocks eating some sandwiches Bob had prepared them that morning. They had left him back at the ship where he wouldn't hyperventilate. Apparently immense jungles scared the blob too.

"From above, this Terra looks the same all around," Theo said without looking up from his meal. "She wouldn't be of any help that way, and we'd waste time."

"Because we aren't wasting time now hiking like slow poke humans," Takashi commented. "You sure you aren't lost? I'm barely keeping my sense of direction in this kind of place."

"I know where the ship is," Theo said. "Using the sun position like a compass, I know which direction to head."

"Do I get to figure out how to do that during training?" Danny asked from where he was hovering cross legged in the air above a rock. He flashed Theo a smile. The teen was just happy to be ghost after such a long time.

"Thought it was common sense," Theo muttered with a shake of his head.

"Common sense isn't really all that common these days," Takashi said with a grin.

Melody smiled slightly because of the joke from her seat on her rock beside him. No one noticed it but the Guardian. He was surprised by the girl's expression. She had avoided him since day one of the switch. Of course she knew who he was, but she was confused about trusting him. Takashi wondered if he would ever get through to her. But that smile was like a brilliant ray of sunshine. For the first time in his life, Takashi thought a little human was cute in her own endearing way. The Guardian found himself smiling down at her.

It was time to slow down. Takashi furrowed his eyebrows as he caught himself with the troublesome issue. He wasn't supposed to get attached to Zara's master. He was supposed to be having fun, kicking back and relaxing. What was with him and these stupid, human emotions? This wasn't him at all. He'd have to guard himself better in the future.

Firstly, humans weren't cute. He needed to get over that one.

Second...he didn't get the chance to contemplate the thought. He felt the presence with alarm and a pang of excitement. Zara always had that effect on him. The Guardian lifted his head up from his quiet pondering and looked around for the girl with irritation playing on his features.

"What?" Danny and Theo asked the Guardian in union.

Takashi glanced up and spotted her as a brightly feathered macaw sitting pleasantly on an overgrown leafy branch. Before he could say anything to the boys, Zara gave a squawk and dove down for him. She plowed right into her target, taking him straight to the muddy ground and out of sight.

"Good afternoon, dipsticks!" Ember called to the others as she stepped out of the jungle and into the bright clearing. She wore an evil grin, and the blue flames of her hair crackled with her delight. Her electric guitar was strung over her shoulders and positioned to be played. "You guys ready to rock and roll?" she asked her prey as if they were fans at a concert.

Danny sprung from his place beside a stunned Theo and Melody. He blasted right for Ember, fist raised and ready for the punch. Ember took a step back in surprise, but soon found her resolve and strung a chord with a devilish smile.

The sound wave blared out from the instrument. Danny put on his brakes with a frown and flew quickly upward to avoid the blunt of the sound attack. Melody and Theo put their hands over their ears from the loud sound. Theo looked mortified. Melody was just wondering where her Guardian and the fake one had gone off to.

"Ready for some more volume, ghost boy?" Ember called up to Danny. She adjusted the volume knob on her guitar much to Theo's horror.

"No!" the demigod shouted at the ghost. "You idiot! You don't know what you're doing!"

"Shut up!" Ember said before striking another powerful chord. The sound wave thundered out toward Theo and Melody, knocking them right off their seats with cries of alarm.

Theo was quick to right himself back up. He ran over to a frightened Melody and let her latch onto him, eyes wide from the loud attack. Theo had to shake his head to get the ringing out of his ears. His sense of hearing was all messed up from her power chords. That wasn't good.

"Ember!" Theo shouted angrily at the ghost. He stood up from his hiding place behind a rock and yelled, "Stop making all that noise! We aren't the only ones here, you know?"

Ember barely listened at first, but then caught onto his serious expression. "Huh?" she asked with a tilt of her head. "What are you getting at, cat boy?"

"Demeter's Terra has her devoted followers," Theo tried to explain. "You blasting away on that guitar has surely alerted all of them that we are here."

"Why should I care?" Ember sneered. She looked down at her guitar carelessly and cranked up the volume knob once more.

"You should care because they are all impervious to ghost powers," Theo retorted.

Ember's eyes widened right before she plucked a chord. Her fingers hovered over the string as she looked up at a nervous looking Danny and then over to the frowning Theo. "Oh," she muttered.

-Few Minutes Before-

They went tumbling into the multitude of green bushes and tangle of trees and accidentally down a slope of the terrain. By the time the two Guardians had come to a stop, they were plenty of yards away from the others to not be heard. Takashi ended up on his back, Zara in her preferred form sitting and smiling on his chest. It was only then that the girl let out a laugh.

"You look so cute when surprised, Takashi," Zara giggled from her place above him. Caught totally off guard, Takashi blushed. It was too late to take it back. Zara had noticed the change of tint and gave a surprised expression. "You embarrassed, Tak?" she asked incredulously.

"No!" Takashi quickly retaliated. "You're just preventing me from breathing, sitting on me like this! Get off me, you idiot!"

"As you wish," Zara said with a chuckle and hopped off his chest. They both got to their feet, dusting the mud and leaves off their identical forms with distaste for the earth smell that was all around them. The Terra stunk to all their heightened senses. Earth just wasn't their thing.

"You did good concealing your essence for that long," Takashi said once he was composed and in his preferred form, which he had somewhat missed lately. "You never taught me that trick."

"Takes too much practice," Zara said with a shrug. "Back then you had little patience."

Takashi smiled at this. "I was a decade old," he said, "What did you expect?"

"Not much," Zara returned. Her own smile crossed her lips, making her golden eyes light up just the way Takashi liked and remembered them. "What were you thinking right before I did my launch attack?" Zara asked.

"How crazy you were," Takashi said, knowing it wasn't going to be enough to throw Zara off.

"No, before you even knew I was there," Zara persisted. "You smiled at Melody. I only smile at her when she is watching. But you were smiling at her for a while there. You were never the one to smile at a human. I found it interesting."

Takashi and Zara were walking up the slope they had rolled down now. Takashi was in the lead, pushing stray branches and foliage out of his way, his eyes scanning the area from old habit and some paranoia. Zara followed, whacking everything away, trying to get the message across to the jungle that she owned the place. The opposite of her friend.

"Are you gonna answer me, Takashi?"

The Guardian in front of her stopped dead in his tracks. Zara almost bumped into him, but she was too quick to make that mistake. Takashi raised his dark eyes to meet hers, his face grave serious. "Am I going insane?" he asked her softly. She wouldn't have been able to hear him through the buzzing of bugs and screeching of the birds if she didn't have very acute hearing from being a Guardian.

"What do you mean?" Zara said, her voice low and taking on the same somber tone as his.

"Have you ever felt...forget it!" Takashi said. He pulled his gaze away from her and stormed ahead with a contemplative frown on his face. Zara picked up her pace to go after him. He needed her right now, but how could she help without revealing her plan to him? She needed more time.

"We're friends, Tak," Zara said, coming up to his side. "Just tell me what's wrong. You know I'll get it out of you eventually."

"Nothing is wrong," Takashi tried to lie straight into her impassive face. He didn't even believe himself and soon muttered afterwards, "Well, maybe." He tried to avoid eye contact with Zara as he considered telling her about the strange human emotions he had been experiencing lately. But he already knew her answer. He was losing it. A Guardian shouldn't feel these emotions. It wasn't natural. Maybe he was getting too old. It was possible.

"You feel that?" Zara asked suddenly, pausing in her step and looking around. All her senses were on full alert. Takashi pulled himself out of his musing right away and put his acute senses to use.

"Great," he growled with sarcasm. A second later he took off in a sprint toward the clearing where they had left the others to fend for themselves. Zara was right by his side, looking almost ticked off.

"We leave them alone for two seconds," she complained. "Are humans really this useless?"

"We still switched?" Takashi asked.

"For as long as we can trick them," Zara said with a grin. She gave her friend a wink right before they burst out into the clearing. The second they came into contact with the sun blazing harshly onto the lushly green glade, they had switched forms and stood ready for some action.

They had come early. The Guardians arrived a few seconds before the attack came. A net flew high into the air of the clearing, sparking with electricity. Ember gave a curse and strung a powerful chord in the direction of the falling net plummeting for her. The waves flung it in the opposite direction and into an unsuspecting ghost boy.

With a cry of surprise and pain, Danny was rocked with a few good volts of electricity from the net that had wrapped around his limbs and forced a collision with a tree. Much to the teen's dismay, the heavy ends of the net whipped around the trunk and pinned him there. The electricity still flowed, shocking his body every few seconds. It was almost impossible to concentrate enough to phase through.

While Danny dealt with his problem, the others had their own ordeals. A group of barbarically dressed humans came running into the clearing. They all had spears in their hands. Fiercely colored war paint was splattered over their faces and bare bodies. They put the world around them into chaos and confusion with their wild whoops and cries.

"And you think I'm loud," Ember shot over to Theo with a glare. She didn't like this complication. She turned her body toward the incoming humans and blasted away on her guitar, not caring about the damage she may inflict on them.

Theo picked up Melody and sprinted over to Zara and Takashi, his eyes on the humans the whole time. He barely had the time to talk to Takashi as he shoved the little girl into his hands and said with a rush, "Get her out of here. This isn't going to end well."

"You think?" Zara asked with a sneer, forgetting she was in Takashi's form. Takashi and Theo looked over to her. Zara realized her mistake right as the words had come from her mouth. What gave her away was that the voice she said it in was her own instead of Takashi's.

Takashi had to quickly do damage control. He shot his friend a glare before saying to Theo, "Ignore the dork. He's suffering brain damage from our roll down that hill. But seriously, all I want is a private conversation with a fellow Guardian, and you have to bring in the whole army of Demeter! Do I have to babysit you guys every second of your lives?"

Theo seemed to buy this. The menacing scowl he shot at Takashi was enough proof. But he couldn't argue with the Guardian then. One look at the humans told them that they were not effected by Ember's constant blare of ear piercing music. Sure, they got thrown off their feet at the blast of sound waves, but that was all. And Ember was starting to panic. A disgusted look was planted on her face as she tried to destroy the group of charging humans with her ghost powers.

"I'm going to get Danny," Theo told Takashi. He was already running toward the tree Danny was struggling against. "Go ahead with Melody. Now!"

"You're perfect," Zara told Takashi with a relieved smile after Theo left.

"You're a pain," Takashi shot back. "Sometimes I feel like I'm babysitting you too."

Zara laughed at this. She then leaned down to Melody in his arms and said with a warm smile, "Trust Takashi, master. Can you pretend he is me for just a few more weeks? I'm sorry I left you. But Zaramama has a plan." Melody gave a shy nod.

"A plan? What plan?" Takashi asked, a hint of surprise in his voice. "What game are you playing here, Zara?" This time he was serious. The last thing he wanted was a friend to backstab him. But was Zara capable of that? Yes. With him? He didn't know.

"Just a fun one, Tak," Zara answered quickly. "Now go before captain cat boy blows a gasket."

Takashi turned to leave but stopped in thought and turned back around. "Do you ever call Theo by his name?" he asked randomly.

"Don't worry about it, dork," Zara yelled back at him. She shoed him off with a few colorful words in Japanese just so he could understand her. He sighed before pushing off the ground and using his ghost abilities to fly him and Melody out of the clearing. Theo had just cut down Danny from his tree bind with a dagger. Now they were running after the Guardian. It was time for Ember and Zara to move out too.

"We might want to run, master," Zara called over to a cursing Ember. She was slowly starting to back up, still strumming away at her strings to keep the humans at bay. At the sound of Takashi's voice, the ghost looked up from her work and flashed the Guardian a frown.

"Have it your way," Ember yelled back after a moment. In mid stride, she threw her guitar so that it now hung on her back instead of hanging in front of her. The humans, who were now furious, got to their feet with crazy shrieks and narrowed eyes. Ember and Zara didn't look behind them as they sprinted out of the clearing, right behind the boys and Melody.

Ember and Zara quickly made some ground on the ones ahead, following the trail Theo and the others had already set for them. Zara pushed herself to go faster when hearing the wild war cries coming from behind them. The humans knew the terrain of the jungle. This was their home, their territory. Zara and the rest had no clue where they were going. The humans were somehow catching up. Maybe they weren't all human. Zara didn't thought.

Before they knew it, Ember and Zara had broke out of the dark and verdurous forest and were plowing into a stationary ghost boy and Theo. The two boys were pushed off balance and fell forward with cries of fear. Zara and Ember watched with wide eyes as the two fell into an immense, deep ravine that spread out on either side of them.

"Oops," Zara muttered, watching her substitute masters plummet toward the roaring white rapids rushing through the bottomless gorge. She felt little guilt for sending them to their deaths. Ember felt less. She was already using her flight powers to blast across like what Takashi was doing ahead of them.

Zara waited an extra second to make sure Danny had grabbed Theo and they had stopped their fall before flying after the ghost girl. She had to keep a grin off her lips, though. She would have loved to see their faces when her and Ember had bumped into them. The sardonic Guardian hoped they had wet their pants.

Halfway across the ravine, things turned sour.

"They're throwing something at us!" Zara alerted Ember. Theo and Danny heard the warning too and looked behind their shoulders, the half sphinx cursing under his breath when he spotted the electrical rope coming at them at a frightening speed.

"They are on the other side too!" Danny shouted in alarm. They saw Takashi flying back toward them, glaring behind him at the humans screaming up a storm from the other side of the ravine. The humans were using some kind of crossbow device to shoot the electric ropes at them. The group were seconds away from getting zapped.

"Going down!" Takashi announced before plummeting head first for the dangerous waters of the ravine. The others found this a better idea than staying still and followed the Guardian closely.

Unfortunately, Danny had been too slow. With Theo in his hands, it was hard to move quickly, in fear of dropping him. He was upside down and blasting downward vertically when something stung his one ankle. Then pain exploded from the spot where the end of a rope had latched itself around his ankle and instantly cut off the boy's ghost powers. They weren't flying down now. They were actually falling!

"Danny!" Theo screamed at his unresponsive friend. He gripped Danny's arms as they were battered around by the rushing winds that blasted harshly into their faces and through their hair and fur. The others were too far down to notice anything yet.

Forcing his mind to get out of the darkness, Danny somehow pushed himself awake. He opened his eyes to be met with a grim sight. Theo's eyes were wide in fear and his grip was deathly. Danny soon found himself in the same position. He looked up at his feet because they were both upside down. The rope was still there attached to his ankle and seconds away from pulling taut. This was going to hurt.

"Hang on tight!" Danny yelled above the wind.

The rope snapped taut, producing a sharp cry from Danny. It felt like his leg had been pulled out of its socket it hurt so much. But he didn't have the time to dwell on the pain because the sudden stop had loosened Theo's grip on his wrist. Theo gave a gasp when his fingers slipped out of Danny's and he began to drop again.

Grunting with desperate effort, Danny lunged downward and fervently grabbed the demigod's outstretched hand. "Got you!" Danny breathed with relief. Theo looked shook up from the scare, but he thanked the teen with a tense smile.

"You guys alright?" Takashi asked the suspended boys as he flew back for them. Ember and Zara were already long gone. They had decided to wait out on their ship to see the outcome of the others. Ember didn't like the competition it seemed.

"Yeah, I think so," Danny answered with a nod.

He had spoken too soon. There was a loud click from above where the humans were all cheering and shrieking like crazed monkeys. There was a pause between the group as they all came to the dreaded conclusion all in the matter of a second. Danny squeezed his eyes shut and gripped Theo's hand as tight as he could.

The rope went rigid with a sickening snap that was close to the sound a whip makes when slashing against someone's back. The crossbow device that had captured the boys spun the opposite way, as if thrown in reverse, at a deathly speed. Pulled by his ankle, Danny and Theo were hauled back up the craggy rock cliffside as if they were fish being reeled to the surface and not to a very happy future. Takashi watched from below, frowning with indecision.

The boys were flung up over the edge of the cliff. The whiplash forced Theo out of Danny's grip. With a yelp, the half sphinx soared right over the crossbow contraption and into a vine entangled tree then to the ground. Bugs and leaves fell from their perches and rained down on the fallen demigod.

Danny had the same kind of painful landing. He wasn't allowed the time for a cry to escape him as his missile-like body collided with the muddy ground. His shoulder connected with the earth, spinning him into a disorientating roll across the dirt. The rope had been detached from his ankle, so he was free to tumble head over heels past the crossbow device and smack dap into the wide base of a tree beside Theo.

"To your feet, ghost boy," Theo muttered lethargically as he dizzily got to his feet with some great effort. He unsheathed his dagger and spun around to face the slowly advancing humans. His vision doubled to his great annoyance.

"Well, that went better than expected," Danny said sarcastically from Theo's side. He managed to struggle to his hands and knees, but his one leg throbbed in agony from the recent strain on it. He winced back the pain and looked up to see what was going on.

"Where is that dumb Guardian?" Theo hissed. He knew that he was in no condition to put up a good fight. Besides the double vision, he was having trouble with his balance. The poor half sphinx felt like a newborn kitten trying out his weak legs for the first time in his life.

"What are they holding up at their mouths?" Danny asked a swaying Theo. The demigod didn't get the chance to answer. Danny watched with horror as one of the humans that had circled them blew into a hollow tube and a small, brightly feathered dart shot out and met its mark at Theo's neck.

The poison worked fast on the young man. He took a heavy step forward then tumbled to the mud, lights out before his head hit the ground. Danny, eyes wide and teeth gritted together, looked expectantly up at his captors. As predicted, another dart found a place in the boy's shoulder.

"I better not wake up tied to a spit," Danny grumbled before the powerful chemical rushing through his system pressed him into darkness.

-Hours Later-

Theo slowly woke up to a gentle swaying, faint melodious bird cries, and the intense fresh smell of nature. He would have enjoyed this kind of peaceful awakening if he hadn't remembered what had caused his sleep in the first place. With a quite gasp, the demigod sat up to take in his surroundings.

Round, vibrant green walls circled and enclosed over him. It seemed like he was in a hollow sphere made entirely out of banana leaves and other kinds of thick, big vegetation strung together out of sturdy vines. The hot sun casted a faint light through the leaves, letting the occupants inside see their natural prison in warm, glowing green light.

Looking down, Theo just then noticed that Danny was laying face down over him. A flash of relief strung through the demigod at the sight of his friend. At least the teen was okay, besides the fact that he looking knocked out cold. A snore erupted from the boy, making Theo's ears flatten. It was time to end the kid's blissful extra hours of sleep.

"Get up," Theo ordered Danny while shoving him off his lap.

"I hate training," Danny grumbled sleepily, refusing to wake up.

Theo rolled his eyes at this. He grabbed a handful of Danny's raven colored hair and yanked. "I said get up!" he whispered severely.

"Okay, okay, I'm up!" Danny said with haste. He sat up till Theo let go of his hold on his hair. Yawning, the memories came back to the boy. He jumped fully awake once realizing they had been captured.

"Hold still," Theo said. He leaned forward, placed a hand on the teen's shoulder, and yanked out the dart lodged there. He spun the shaft between his thumb and forefinger, observing it with distaste.

"You have one in your neck, you know," Danny stated, pointing at the dart sticking out of his friend's neck. With a grimace, Theo pulled that one out too.

They sighed simultaneously. Their eyes made contact with each other and weak smiles spread across their faces. "Like good old times, huh?" Theo chuckled with a sad shake of his head. Danny grinned back. It was the two of them again, the duo. It brought back memories of their last adventure together, some good, some bad, but all to be cherished.

"I wonder where Zara went," Danny mused.

"She probably took off, glad to get rid of us," Theo said while trying to stand in the swaying sphere. They must have been hanging by something, most likely a tree. He pressed his hands against the green leaf walls, testing the fabric of the prison.

"I don't think she would have done that," Danny said, "I think she has more pride than that." He paused for thought before adding, "Its the only reason why she hasn't ditched us this far."

"She has too much pride for a Guardian," Theo grumbled.

"Why do you say that?" Danny asked.

"Guardians are slaves," Theo stated, "You could kill them with the snap of your fingers for refusing to scrub the crap out of your bathroom. Where is the pride in that?"

"Good point," Danny murmured.

"Ready to finally get out of here?" Theo asked with a raised dagger.

Danny didn't say anything as he stared at the silver blade about to pierce the waxy skin of the banana leaves. In the back of his head, he knew it wasn't a good idea. But then again, maybe Sam had influenced him with her love of nature more than he had realized. Couples tend to do that often.

The sharp blade barely touched the leaves when a vine moved from its place on the other side of the sphere as if it had a mind of its own. Danny gave a yell of warning. Theo turned to look at his friend just as the vine looped around his neck and jerked him back. The vine carried Theo by the throat back to its spot on the curved leaf walls. He produced a choked scream when the vine kept the demigod pinned there.

Another vine shot out and wrapped itself around Theo's wrist that with the hand that held the dagger. Cursing in some ancient Egyptian language, Theo was forced to drop the blade he had kept since his childhood in Egypt. It fell to the bottom of the sphere by Danny's standing form. The boy dove for it, but vines engulfed the weapon. When the vines slithered away, the dagger was gone.

"Get us out of here!" Theo shouted to Danny. He was still being held up by the vine enveloped around his throat.

"Going ghost!" Danny called, flashing into the superhero specter. With both palms facing downward, he gave the plants a dose of his ice powers. The vines seemed to hiss and squeal with pain and hate as the leaves by Danny's feet were encrusted in frozen ice.

With a vigorous stomp, Danny kicked a hole in the icy leaves. He smiled to know that at least his ghost powers were actually helping for once. The good thought didn't last long when the leaves regenerated at an alarming rate, patching up the hole in mere seconds. To top it off, another vine looped around the teen's waist and yanked him off his feet. This vine glowed with a mysterious power.

"I...I can't use my powers!" Danny shouted, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. "This is NOT fair!"

"I hate plants!" Theo growled in anger. With his free hand, he grabbed the vine around his neck while still complaining. "I lived in a desert all my life." The hand burst into flames. "We were lucky to find something green." The vine disintegrated with his fiery touch. "I'm in no mood to fight off nature nowadays!"

"Tell me how you really feel," Danny said with sarcasm, watching as the fire quickly spread uncontrollably. Theo looked over to Danny and managed a grin. The kid still had his sense of humor after all these years...well only two in Danny's case.

"I think I made it mad," Theo admitted. He yanked the vines away from Danny to free him, his hands still burning. By then, half the sphere was engulfed with red hot flames. Black, blinding smoke rushed into their faces from the humid air rushing in.

"I might have a vegetarian girlfriend, but I think its safe to say that I don't really care if you ticked off the plants," Danny said.

"You might care when you see this," Theo said, some distress to his voice. He was leaning out of the quickly burning sphere.

"Uh...wow," was all that Danny could say. Below them was vines, leaves, and tree branches. Way, way, way down was a small speck of brown ground. It was about 70 stories below them. And if all the vines around here had the same vendetta toward Theo and Danny, it was going to take an arm and leg to touch solid ground again. This was a problem.

"So glad for your surprising visit, Theo," a female voice cooed from above.

That was another problem.

"Demeter," the boys said in union.

"I blame you," Danny teased a flat eared Theo.

"Thanks," Theo jeered back.

A/N: Theo and Danny are back in action as the duo again! Yeah! I realized how much I missed seeing them just by themselves and decided to throw the Guardians off to the side for now. They can wait. Danny and Theo can handle this by themselves...I think. I'll see you guys next weekend. And for those reading Soul Searching, the chapter might not come till late this weekend or Monday. I've been losing sleep. Doesn't help that I wake up at 3 this morning to see some drunk girl fail her test and get handcuffed right in front of my house. I can't type when all I want to do is pass out!


	16. Chapter 16 Daughter Drama

A/N: Sorry for this being a bit late in the weekend. I had some writer's block for both my fics, so I was behind all this week with my writing. Oh well. I'm just overjoyed by that I'm actually moving out of the USA and to Peru, South America! I have less than a month till the big move! I'm so excited! Goodbye Amish, hello hot surfer Peruvian boys! Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I own everything except for any Danny Phantom characters and the ghost boy himself, although, a girl can dream can't she?

Chapter 16 Daughter Drama

"Please, stop crying," Takashi pleaded with Melody. They were hiding out on a thick branch high in the canopy of tree leaves and vines. Demeter's hunters had passed them below a few times, but Takashi easily turned himself and the girl invisible to evade their searching eyes. That had been hours ago.

Now that he didn't have to fear getting spotted by the hunters, the Guardian had time to think. But Melody was preventing this pleasure by crying softly beside him. He knew human behavior enough to understand she was hungry and tired from running around the jungle for hours. She was also scared to have the boys gone and the only one to take care of her was a random Guardian that wasn't even her own. Takashi realized she had a lot to cry about.

"Curse that Zaramama!" Takashi grumbled under his breath in Japanese. "She knew this was going to happen; that I, Takashi of Osaka, would have to stoop down to the level of babysitting a sobbing kid. She knew I never had experience with human kids. She's probably in a laughing fit over it right now. She'll pay for this."

Melody looked up at him through her red, puffy eyes and tried to comply to his wants with a pathetic sniff. Zara had told her to trust him. Her Guardian knew best, so she had to pretend this one was her old one. Although, he didn't look anything like Zara now because he was in his preferred form.

Takashi looked down at the kid when he heard her sniffing down her tears. He finally let out a sigh and said down to her, "At least you're easier to deal with than those boys. You actually believe in my fine intelligence and never go running off into trouble. Heck, you're even better than Zaramama herself!"

Melody lifted her eyes to his and watched him rub his face in frustration. "What am I doing?" he moaned.

Suddenly a defining scent was caught by the Guardian's alerted senses. If Ember had been caught by the hunters, he would have been able to trace her ghost pressure in no time at all because a master's was always very strong. But Danny and Theo were not his masters in any way. Finding their pressures would take some time in this large of a Terra.

"Smoke?" Takashi asked in confusion. He sniffed the air again and a look of surprise crossed his face. "Yep, it's smoke alright," he concluded. He smiled down at Melody and said cheerfully, "Looks like the stupid brothers are making a campfire. How kind of them."

Melody smiled sweetly back. Takashi had to bite down on his lower lip to keep in any flare of emotion. This kid could be so darn cute sometimes, especially after you got to know her shy, gentle behavior. It was all very new for the Guardian.

"I'm going insane," Takashi said through clenched teeth. He stood up on the branch, making Melody yelp in fear as it swayed under her little form. As if holding delicate eggs, Takashi carefully picked up the girl and floated her down to the floor of the jungle. Morphing swiftly, the Guardian changed into a big, male bangle tiger.

This seemed to make Melody's day. A grin brightened her face as she took in his powerful, furry form. Giggling, she rubbed her face into his soft fur then started to play with his round ears. She showed no fear for the massive feline even when Takashi gave her an annoyed, dark growl.

What was with this girl? One second she was crying because they had ditched the boys. Now she was happy as a clam at the sight of a dangerous tiger.

If tigers could frown, Takashi sure was. Zara must have used her black jaguar form all the time on the girl. It was one of Zara's favorites. What was with the Guardian and her love for the Incas? She wasn't even born there. But then again, he himself was fond of using Japanese culture influenced forms. It all depended on the Guardian and his or hers preferences in the places and times they have been in.

"We're going for a run, girl," Takashi told Melody. He lowered his head under her bottom and lightly pushed her up onto his back. As she got settled, Takashi stuck his nose in the air and sniffed out the direction of the smoke scent. He had been right. The tiger form had the perfect sense of smell mixed with his Guardian senses. Of course a blood hound would be better, but Melody needed something to ride and he needed to be fast.

"Ready?" Takashi asked the girl sitting on his back. He looked up over his shoulder to see her. She had definitely ridden a large cat before. She was hanging onto the thick mane of his neck and crouched forward like a jockey on a race horse from the past. Takashi mentally commended Zara for training her master well.

Melody gave a stiff nod and prepared herself for the ride. Takashi crouched down like a kitten ready to pounce on a ball or a predator zeroing in on its unfortunate prey. Melody felt the Guardian's muscles flex under her and smiled to herself. She loved these kinds of rides.

Takashi leapt out of the crouch and bounded smoothly ahead. Melody hung tightly to him, letting out a wild whoop of laughter at the initial start. Takashi couldn't help but curl his cat lips into a grin as he rushed through the jungle scene. His striped form whizzed by trees and jumped over rocks and fallen logs with powerful, long strides. He found a deer trail and took it to be faster.

The boys wouldn't have to wait long for their well needed help. Takashi and Melody was on the way to their rescue.

-Danny and Theo-

"Let's burn down the whole jungle," Danny muttered with crossed arms. "It will free us. It won't attract any attention at all. Demeter won't notice a thing."

"Hey!" Theo shouted. "I don't see you coming up with any bright ideas!"

"Because this is a great improvement from that burning leaf orb," Danny sneered back.

The two boys were hanging upside down by their ankles with vines that attached and disappeared into the dense mass of green from above...and practically all around. It looked like they would never escape the endless vortex of plants.

Demeter sat on her giant rose thrown in front of them. She observed the boys' arguing with an interested little smile on her thin lips. Her large eyes looked back and forth between her captured prizes, wondering what to do with them. Slim fingers slowly tapped the soft pedal armrest as she waited for a perfect time to disturb them in the middle of their friendly bickering that had been absentmindedly created by them to block out the true trouble at hand...her.

The opening came when Theo raised a hand to emphasize a point. Demeter's smile faintly turned into one of pure evil as she moved only a finger to command her vines. One flashed out of the tangle of jungle leaves off to the side and wrapped around the lifted arm's wrist. It jerked the whole arm back and snapped taut, leaving the demigod hanging by two vines now.

That got their attention. Silence followed the quick attack. Both sets of eyes were now rested solely on her, just like she liked it.

"Boys, boys, boys," Demeter purred with a sneaky coyness. "Where are your manners? Why the bitter arguing from such famous friends?"

No answer. Either she had scared the boys too fiercely, or they were refusing to vocally interact with her. She didn't believe she had been that frightening, so the only solution was to talk directly to one of them. Who would be first? Her sly, calculating eyes traveled back and forth between the two as if choosing a victim.

Her stare narrowed in on Danny. He squirmed in her cold gaze, but did nothing as she moved her blood red rose close to him so that they were face to face. The teen had been in this situation before two years ago. He wondered if she recognized him. Hoped she didn't was more like it.

"Danny Phantom, is it?" she stated rather than asked the boy. "Mind if I call you Daniel?" As she said this, she ran the long, thin fingers of her left hand through his snow white hair. She noticed the frown flicker across his emotionless features and asked, "Too informal?"

"Just call me Danny," Danny said curtly. He had to resist a flinch when Demeter let a lone vine crawl up his leg. It traveled around his stomach as if it was a slithering snake.

"You got taller, Danny," Demeter observed with a playful grin. "How long as it been?"

"Don't answer that," Theo said before Danny even thought to open his mouth. Danny's uncertain eyes glanced over to his friend then back to Demeter. He knew something was coming. The woman was sadistic. Theo's interruption was sure to spur her on.

Demeter flashed the demigod a glare before putting the smile back on. She snapped her fingers and watched with a grin as another vine connected with Theo's other wrist and pulled that arm upward. The feline grunted with effort as he yanked on that vine as it twisted down his arm and curled around his neck.

"Stop being obnoxious and let Danny and I talk, Theo," Demeter said. She turned her head back to Danny's so that they were now nose to nose. "We never got to know each other the last time."

"Can we get this over with, lady?" Danny asked her. A cocky smile was added when he said, "I've never been a patient person."

"Oh, I see you lost the naiveness," Demeter said with a delighted smile. "How did that come about?"

"Do you really want to know?" Danny shot back, the smile never leaving his lips. Theo watched the interaction with interest. What was the kid doing, playing along with her like this? Either Danny was making this up as he went, or he had something planned. Theo wasn't so sure about the second one or if it would work in the first place.

Demeter moved her thrown around the dangling form of Danny before her as she said, "Not really." She watched him carefully, like a lioness waiting for her prey.

With her behind him now, Danny was able to look up at his feet to aim some ice rays at the vines there. His eyes were just turning blue when Demeter suddenly came up from behind him and rubbed her cheek against his while holding his head in one of her hands.

"My vines can feel your heart beat," Demeter said almost sensually, making the teen shudder under her touch. The cockiness was gone now, replaced by a silencing awkwardness. He didn't like the way she talked and touched him. His eyes reverted back to green as she said, "I could feel you trying to trick me a mile away." She giggled evilly before saying, "How cute."

"Get away from him," Theo demanded in something close to a snarl. He had seen the look on Danny's face when she had come close. Theo knew that the goddess was using some of her womanly charm to choke Danny up on purpose. Theo saw that this could easily get out of hand. Somewhere in him a protectiveness over the ghost kid had been released.

Demeter gave a careless wave over at the demigod without looking at him. The vine around his throat tightened, making the young man wince. As she trailed a finger down Danny's chin line, Demeter said to Theo, "Quiet. I'm just having some fun."

"Then leave the kid out of it," Theo managed to choke out. He avoided Danny's pleading gaze as he tried to catch Demeter's eyes with his own narrowed ones. The goddess ignored him with another wicked giggle. The demigod got desperate.

"I know why Persephone didn't come with you."

Demeter snapped her head to the side to look at Theo, her glare a burning rage of fire in her eyes. Danny held his breath. He something bad was going to happen very soon. Theo had pushed the woman's sanity off the edge of a cliff with only one sentence.

"What did you just say?" Demeter demanded. Her tone was sharp and on the brink of exploding with anger. Slowly, her rose thrown moved toward Theo's hanging form. The subject of her daughter apparently wasn't a light one, Danny guessed.

"You never listen," Theo said weakly. "You always do things your way. She couldn't stand that. At least in the Underworld Hades would listen to what she told him and sometimes did what she suggested. She was treated fairly there. With you it was always your way. She got sick of it. That was why when Vlad gave everyone the option of coming with him, she didn't come with you. She'd rather be with Hades all her life than with you. She even told me that personally."

Demeter seethed in pure outrage, "You'll regret ever saying a word to me, you worthless banished Egyptian demigod!" She raised both hands for a fatal attack on the helpless young man. He watched with wide eyes of fear as she screamed, "My child **LOVED** me!"

"Chill."

Theo had to squeeze his eyes shut as a freezing cold rush of harsh wind that felt like it had come right out of the Arctic blasted against him. When he opened his eyes, he was in a winder wonderland. The walls of perpetual green vines and foliage were now either frozen to the core or were covered with layers of pure white snow. Demeter was a ice sculpture, caught in mid scream, which captured her character quite nicely. Staring, Theo took this all in with short breaths that produced puff clouds near his mouth.

"What did you just do?" Theo asked in awe. He looked over to Danny to see him struggling to break free of the popsicle vines around his ankles. He looked upset.

"You okay?" Danny asked Theo without looking at him.

"I'm always okay," Theo responded quickly, staying in character with his unbearable pride. He began to work on his own vines, tugging and squirming in their cold holds around his body. "I'm more worried about you."

Danny paused to sigh regretfully. "I made the mistake of leading her own like that," he told his friend. His voice was quiet. "Thanks...for coming to my rescue."

"At least you had a reason behind it," Theo grumbled. He wasn't the greatest with words. "You actually had a plan, which I admit I didn't have at that point. Um...how long does this frozen wasteland last usually?"

"With Demeter, not long," Danny answered. "Do you have a thermos? This would be the time to suck her up in one."

"No," Theo said with a curse, this one in ancient Egyptian. He had looked over to Demeter's frozen form. She was quickly melting out. Very soon they would have an angry goddess of their hands. They didn't want to be hanging around on her vines when that happened.

With one last tug, Danny broke free. A second later Theo had done the same. They didn't have the time to rejoice over their victory of freedom, though. Now that the vines weren't holding them up, gravity had its revenge. With screams, the boys fell a few stories to the floor of the jungle, crashing haphazardly through branches and vegetation. They landed roughly on their backs in the mud, wincing and groaning in pain.

"Having fun?" a voice asked.

Takashi stood in tiger form beside them, Melody sitting on his back and resting her chin on his furry head to look down at Danny and Theo. The boys looked over to the Guardian and girl with surprised looks upon their grimacing faces.

"I'd say thanks for dropping in, but it sounded too cheesy," Takashi said with a curl of his cat lips.

"Where have you been?" Theo demanded as he rolled to his feet. Takashi's golden eyes watched the feline easily stand back to his feet. Danny had more trouble standing back up. He breathed hard as he rose sorely to his feet.

"I decided to ditch the filthy humans and their gross earth smells," Takashi explained in a careless manner. "After that, I came here to check up on how you guys were doing. Found Demeter yet?"

A vine shot down between Theo and Danny, nearly hitting the half sphinx. If he didn't have quick reflexes, he would have been dead. Melody tightened her grip on Takashi's mane in her fright.

"Apparently, yes," Takashi stated dryly.

"Run!" Danny shouted at the others before taking off into the thick of the jungle. The two cats didn't waste time debating Danny's choice of evasion and sprinted after the ghost's retreating form. More vines started to shoot out of what seemed like nowhere. Danny found himself flying after only a few minutes of running.

The group came close of getting caught in Demeter's evil vine clutches too many times to count. Danny flew at break neck speed, nimbly maneuvering tightly around the trees and plants. Takashi had to be careful with Melody on his back, but he easily stayed at Danny's quick pace. Theo lagged a little behind, but he managed on his own, weaving through trees and jumping over fallen old trunk hollows like it was simply an obstacle course.

"This is insane!" Theo shouted up at Danny as three vines thumped into the tree he had just rounded. "Why are we going farther into the jungle? We should be getting out of here."

"Give me some time to think," Danny gasped from ahead. "Demeter isn't letting up, though."

"Duh," Takashi growled. "The deeper we go, the more powerful she gets. That's why we had to travel so far inland for her to sense us and send her humans after us."

"What's that sound?" Theo asked. A vine shot right at his feet. With a grunt, Theo flung himself over it, pushed a hand off the ground to give him the momentum, and landed cleanly on two feet only to continue his mad dash after his friends.

"A waterfall," Takashi answered. "Its a tall one. Must be close if you can hear it."

"Cute," Theo glowered back. He was in no mood to have the Guardian mouthing off to him now. Then something hit him.

"Wait!" both Takashi and Theo shouted in union.

"What now, you two?" a flabbergasted Danny yelled back behind his shoulder.

"Head toward the waterfall," Theo ordered, quickly changing his direction.

"Another one of your reckless plans?" Danny asked incredulously.

"No," Takashi said, following after the demigod with a grin. "This one is legit for once."

Danny followed them despite his skepticism. Soon he found himself flying over a small lagoon of water. Big, reddish brown boulders made up a bowl for the frothing water and towered above to create the roaring white waterfall. The amount of water was a lot smaller than Niagara Falls, which Danny compared it to, but the drop had to be at least ten times longer than it. He stared up at the immense waterfall with mouth open in awe.

Two splashes woke Danny out of his daze. Looking down, he saw Theo, Takashi, and Melody swimming back to the surface of the brown murky waters. Danny quickly flew down to the rippling surface near Theo, flashed back into human form, and dropped into the pool with the others.

"What is her problem?" Theo asked Takashi, who was now in Zara's preferred form and holding up a screaming and flailing Melody.

"She never learned to swim," Takashi said, letting the girl cling desperately to him.

"She's not the only one," Theo muttered, barely keeping his head above the surface.

"Are you drowning, dude?" Danny asked, letting a smile cross his lips.

"Did kitty cat never learn doggy paddle?" Takashi teased only to play Zara's character. Normally, he'd leave the poor half sphinx alone. The guy had enough problems. He didn't need a Guardian making fun of his bad swimming.

"Never found a swimming pool out in the middle of Egypt's deserts," Theo shot back. He looked up and saw vines shooting out of the trees, searching for them. Some shot across the surface of the pool the four were in. Taking sharp breaths of air, they all submerged themselves under water to avoid detection.

The water wasn't part of Demeter's powers. She was the goddess of the earth, so rocks, leaves, mud, and vines were all at her control and disposal. But now that they were all in water, Demeter had no means of detecting where the four had gone. Naturally, she moved over the pool of water and went further into the jungle to search.

By the time the group had run completely out of air and had to come back to the surface, Demeter was long gone. Gasping, the four broke the surface. Danny and Takashi easily stayed afloat. Theo choked a few times, but he was learning quickly the art of treading water. Melody on the other hand, was in a state of panic. She had thoroughly wrapped herself around Takashi with no intentions of letting him go. But at least she wasn't crying. More like in a state of shock, really.

"What now?" Danny asked Theo. He tried to push some unruly wet black locks out of his face, but it was useless. He would have to deal with the wet hair for now.

"I...um...have no clue," Theo admitted after squirting water out of his mouth. He coughed on the rough, gritty taste of the brown water.

"I, for one, would like to get off of this dump heap of an earth Terra," Takashi said. He shivered in the water and muttered, "This whole place makes my sore essence crawl. And this water is chuck full of mud. My essence is going to reek of this nasty stuff for days."

"Stop complaining," Theo ordered the Guardian, ears flat in annoyance. "I need to think."

"You were saying something about going deeper into the jungle made her stronger," Danny said to Takashi. "I thought the amulet would make her more powerful."

Takashi stared at Danny for a moment as if he didn't understand or was confused, because he was. He'd never done this before with the boys. He had no clue about anything concerning the Amulet of Tula. If it hadn't been for Theo, the deceiving Guardian could have blown his cover right then and there.

"I don't remember her wearing any amulet," Theo piped up.

"Then where did she get all this power?" Danny asked no one in particular.

"Maybe she didn't make all these trees grow by herself," Takashi suggested. "Maybe she just mooched off some big, old tree and then spread out from there. When Vlad took over, she could have easily pulled all the jungles in the world into her own Terra then put her own power in the trees."

"That would be better than using an amulet," Theo thought out loud. "But what about controlling those humans and suddenly being able to cut off Danny's ghost powers?"

"That's happened before with another plant ghost I fought in the past," Danny said. "That's when I first got control over my ice powers. Undergrowth was defeated easily when I understood that he was the core of all the plants. Demeter, apparently, isn't. I can't just freeze her and call it a day."

"Then that means she's drawing her power off of something else," Takashi mused. "And if you destroy that, she's practically helpless."

"Yeah, but where the heck would it be?" Theo asked. "It would take days to find some thing that held that much power."

"Don't you know anything about plants?" Takashi asked with a sad shake of his head. "Obviously, she gets her power from the plants. The deeper you go into the Terra, the more she gets. Whatever she's getting her power from, it is smack dab in the middle of the Terra because that means whatever is planted there can spread its roots out to every part of the Terra."

Danny quickly added, "When you want to kill a weed, you have get to its root."

"Sam told you that, didn't she?" Theo stated dryly. Danny released a sheepish smile. Theo rolled his eyes. But the half sphinx was quick to come up with the plan. Takashi had been smart enough to bring along an extra thermos, though he had no idea what it did, so they didn't have to go back to the ship for supplies. Before they knew it, the four were flying over the great canopy of trees, heading for the center of the Terra.

Just like Takashi had predicted, the core was easy to spot. The earth had been rising little by little. It came to a peak at the biggest tree Danny had ever seen. And he had thought that the artificial one at Disney World had been immense. This one could eat that Disney's tree for breakfast at the size it was.

The base itself had to be at least a few miles wide. It would take a good few hours to walk around it on foot, it was that big. Thick, gnarly bark traveled high into the air, shooting out at the top to form long branches lush with vegetation. These branches acted like a giant green umbrella. They seemed to endlessly spread out across the sky, soaking up the setting sun's last bit of rays like the king tree it was.

At the base of the tree, snaky and twisted roots covered the ground. Some were as wide as cars. Others were more along the lines of computer wires. But all the vines moved and slithered around as if the entire tree was alive and hunting for nourishment with its winding roots that were connected to every tree and plant on the entire Terra.

"That thing is freaking huge!" Danny exclaimed when they flew nearer.

"Think you can kill it?" Theo asked.

It took a moment of thought for Danny. He then said, "I can at least do some damage to it before Demeter shows up."

"That's great news," Takashi commented sarcastically from his side. "What do we do if she does show up and we're not ready?"

Theo and Danny looked down at Melody in his arms without saying anything. Takashi followed their eyes and felt his heart thump hard against his chest in a flash of fear.

They weren't serious were they? Melody was just an innocent kid! Sure, she had to have some power because why else would have Zara been taking care of the bloodline for so many years. But Takashi didn't realize how serious they were about putting her in danger till now.

Takashi pressed his lips together to try and compose himself. That was the third time that day that he had feelings towards the human child. Why should he really care? She was just a human. He'd never felt anything but contempt and bitterness toward them...except for that one from so long ago.

But that didn't matter. He had been weak then. He was strong now, stronger and smarter than a lot of other Guardians. He now knew the cruelty and wickedness in man's heart. The girl was no different than the rest of them. He was the master of hiding, pretending, and bending emotions for his masters and everyone else. But then how had this little girl break through all his defenses?

Sighing, Takashi decided he missed the Ghost Zone, his home. His essence ached from its absence from the chaotic world. He wished for the simplicity of floating around in endless space, without any concern for time, and where just existing is enough. Forty hard years under Vlad was taking its toll on him.

"Are you spacing out?" Danny asked him suddenly. The boy's voice cut through the Guardian's thoughts, jerking Takashi back to the problems at hand. He looked over to the ghost boy as the kid asked, "Do Guardian's day dream?"

"Not exactly. Not how you humans do it, at least," Takashi answered slowly. "And for the record, I was merely thinking deeply."

"Don't hurt yourself," Theo took a stab at him. Takashi smirked down at the demigod in Danny's arms. It had been a pretty good one, he had to admit.

They all landed at the base of the colossal tree. Danny had to crane his neck all the way back to look up at the branches that loomed far above his tiny form. It was times like these that he felt so insignificant.

"Here, you can hold the thermos," Takashi said to Theo, shoving the metal container into the demigod's hands. "Metal and my essence don't exactly mix." That, and he had no clue what it did or how to use it and didn't want to blow his cover so soon.

Danny said nothing as he dropped Theo off and flew back into the air to survey the tree. It seemed to stretch on for miles on each side. He didn't know where to begin to attack. Demeter could show up at any time, so he needed to start freezing the thing quick. So with a determined sigh, Danny threw his hands back behind his head, creating a ball of freezing energy.

With a short battle cry, Danny flung his hand over his head and let the icy energy soar out of his hands. It slammed into the tree, exploding shards of ice and incasing a small patch of the enormous trunk in coldness. Danny was going to have to throw a lot more of those if he wanted to make any difference.

He put his palms together and formed another ice energy ball with eyes on the enemy plants. A shaking of leaves from above caught Danny's attention at the last second. His eyes traveled upward then widened in shock and fear. The energy ball in his hands diminished till it vanished altogether.

Demeter had grown so much in size that her body was a few yards taller than the tree now. She rose up from the other side of the tree and looked down at Danny's paused body with a triumphant smirk on her lips. Her eyes burned with loath and passion. With her hands on her hips, she leaned down over the tree, as if it was simply a bush in her way, and put her mighty face close to the floating Danny.

"Surprised?" Demeter asked with a wicked smile. Danny was too stunned to say or do anything but stare dumbly back.

Something flashy fell from her chest and hung around her neck. It dangled there, catching the last few rays of a retreating sun on the horizon. Danny's eyes shot down to glance at the necklace. His heart raced when he recognized the sapphire stone in the center of the intricate design of gold.

It was the Amulet of Tula.

"We're gonna need a bigger thermos," Danny groaned in despair.

A/N: Couldn't resist that last little line. But, ug! I've been having horrible writer's block for the next chapter of his fic. It isn't coming out the way I want. And the finale chapter of Soul Searching is going to be uploaded on Sunday. I've been busy, you know with moving and stuff. But you reviews have been so great. I'm sorry I don't answer some of you, I get so busy during the week. I'll get over the block, though, and see you guys all next week with another chapter! See you guys then!


	17. Chapter 17 Forbidden Emotions

A/N: Oh my gosh! This chapter actually came out shorter than my others! That was the first in what seems like forever! Okay, enough with my weirdness. This chapter is amazing. I've been dying to type it for such a long time. So, enjoy and review! Thanks!

Disclaimer: Anything Danny Phantom is not mine. The rest come from some weird place in my head.

Chapter 17 Forbidden Emotions

Demeter loomed over the four heroes with a slick smile planted on her face. The Amulet of Tula shimmered in the dying light of the setting sun. Darkness literally and figuratively was enveloping them. From this position, they saw little hope of escaping. Demeter had already been powerful without the piece of jewelry. With the amulet, though, she was practically impossible to defeat.

The giant goddess didn't even need to move as she commanded her plants to seize the four. Her laugh boomed out of her oversized mouth as she watched with evil delight as her vines launched themselves out of no where and wrapped around Theo, Takashi, and Melody.

Suppressing a string of curses, Danny frantically waved his glowing blue hands around and froze every vine coming for him. He dove downward, trying to outfly the attacking vines with a panicked expression etched on his features. This wasn't going to last long or have a happy ending if he didn't do something quick. The problem was that time wasn't on any of their sides.

"Guardian!" Theo said over to a struggling Takashi. The Guardian glanced over to Theo at the call, expecting a command but was rewarded with only a question. "How does Melody use her powers? Danny can't stop Demeter as this rate. He needs Melody."

"I can't tell you that," Takashi thought quickly. On the inside he wished he knew himself. Zara had told him that she was ordered never to tell. "It is against my orders."

"But can't you tell us in this kind of situation?" Theo pleaded.

"Can't help you there, cat boy," Takashi said. He morphed into a snake and slipped through the holds of the vine around his scaly body. Once free, the Guardian changed into a scarlet falcon. Zara had taught him that the falcon form was the best for speed in the air. Her teachings still came in handy these days.

"Get Danny over here, Guardian!" Theo shouted his demand as he watched Takashi fly swiftly away. Three vines narrowly missed his slick form. Theo cringed from the close call. They couldn't afford to lose the Guardian. It was a big part of their team. And it would crush Melody's and Danny's heart if it died now.

The area around the center tree was by now a mass of tangling green vines. Takashi could barely see the dark sky above because of the vines. And constantly the vines kept coming and attacking. Most wiggled and snapped in all directions, desperate to grab ahold on either Danny or Takashi.

"Danny!" Takashi called for the ghost boy. He weaved his way through vines and deftly dodged a few that shot his way. Demeter was too focused on keeping Theo and Melody prisoners and fighting Danny to really notice the Guardian.

To the Guardian's surprise, Danny suddenly blasted around a tree sized vine up ahead and came right at Takashi at top speed. Takashi thought fast and changed form. His new tiny form of a flee dropped down onto the passing ghost kid and clung desperately onto one of his white hairs. He struggled to climb down to the boy's ear as the piece of hair he was one whipped wildly in the wind blasting against the flying teen.

"You can't dodge her forever, kid," Takashi said into Danny's ear as he nestled his small claws into the skin there. "We need a plan."

"What _are_ you?" Danny asked, taken off guard by the Guardian's new form.

"Does that really matter now?" Takashi snapped back, not able to keep out the irritation in his voice. They were all about to get killed, and ADD poster child here was asking what kind bug he was. How Zara had the patience to deal with these guys was beyond the Guardian. Maybe that was why she had planned the switch. Somewhere in his flurry of angry emotions, Takashi could see the brilliance in her planning.

"What do you have in mind?" Danny asked after a sheepish smile.

"Cat boy wants to use Melody," Takashi said, voice squeaky in Danny's ear from his tiny size. "We need to find him."

A moment later, Danny flew out of a vine blockade with the help of some ice power and almost plowed right into the half sphinx. Both boys screamed in alarm as Danny put on his brakes and came to a halt in mid air only an inch away from Theo's face. Without his knife, the demigod was still stuck in his vine restraint. Fruitlessly, he wiggled for his freedom or at least some breathing room.

"Where's the Guardian?" Theo asked Danny.

"In my ear," Danny said with a shrug. Theo gave a disgusted response. "You think I like it too?" Danny asked.

"Move, stupid!" Takashi screamed into Danny's ear. "You think Demeter will pause to let you two talk?" Danny shot up into the air to avoid more vines. As he did so, he discussed some plans with Theo.

"But I don't know how Melody sucked out Dionysus's power and transferred it to me," Danny was saying. "There was just a big explosion, then suddenly I was all powerful."

"Maybe if she is frightened she will instinctively use her powers," Theo said. He watched as Danny iced down the giant vine encircling his body. They all looked to Melody to see how she was. She was as pale as a sheet and looking totally petrified. How much more fear did they have to install in her to make her use her powers? Somehow, none of the boys wanted to find out.

"Wait, you feel that?" Takashi asked into Danny's ear.

"Feel what?" Danny asked wearily. What now? They already had enough problems as it was.

He got his answer in form of one long, loud blast of a horn. The sound reverberated throughout the jungle, scaring off all the population of animal life form in a five mile radius. The deafening noise made the four cringe in pain.

Demeter had stopped her attack of the vines in confusion. She paused to look down at her victims that stared wide eyed back up at her. They didn't look like they had made that sound and were as stunned by it than she was. Then she saw that they weren't looking at her, but at something behind her. It was too late to react.

The _Broken Heart_ rammed bow first into the back of Demeter's giant form with another loud blow of its horn. Danny and the rest watched the astonishing scene unfold without sharing a single word.

Demeter pitched forward with a cry of pain and surprise. Ember's ship came to a halt in the spot where the goddess had used to be. The hanger bay doors dropped down, and out came about a dozen small but quick ships armed to the teeth with cannons and weapons. By this time, Demeter was back up and composed. She glared at the _Broken Heart_, clearly ticked to have more juvenile ghosts messing with her.

Ember, her blue hair burning high, stepped up onto the railing on the port side of her turned ship so that she was facing the goddess. Zara in Takashi's form stood faithfully to her left. In the ghost's hand was a megaphone, and strapped around her shoulders was her electric guitar.

"Listen up, princess!" Ember barked into the megaphone. Her amplified voice echoed throughout the area, commanding attention. "The dipstick and Theo are mine!" Ember made it clear. "So either get out of my way, or get your royal butt kicked. Got it?"

"Uh, wow," Danny said, totally blown away.

"You can say that again," Theo murmured. "Where did she _come_ from?"

"Princess?" Demeter growled, crossing her arms. "For your information, pirate brat, Vlad adores me, and you're going to get severely punished by him for this act of disrespect."

"He might like your stupid tree moving powers enough to keep you around," Ember smirked, "But I have personal orders from him to capture the dipstick and his friends. I'm not going to let you and your psycho plants ruin my mission. So back off!"

Demeter gave the sky pirate an offended look while putting her hands to her hips. "Who do you think you are?" Demeter screamed in her rage. Her eyes glowed in green malice. "You think you can just barge into my Terra and order me around? You have not seen the power in the KIND, GENTLE hands of Demeter, goddess of the earth! I will show you the true power I have!"

Ember scoffed, "More of your little puppet vines? Yeah right, lady."

"You will regret ever having an afterlife," Demeter hissed. Her voice dripped with venom.

Ember raised her free hand and there dangled another Amulet of Tula. With a smile, she looped the gold chain around her neck. Everyone watched in wonder and interest as the pendant began to work. The ghost's blue fire hair blazed far above her head as specter energy rushed into her body and gave her more and more power.

"Let's see what you got," Ember said. She cranked up the volume in her guitar, strummed a power chord, and watched in wicked delight as the vines and trees bended and snapped under the pressure of the attack. Demeter had to take a step back as some of her jungle forest was wiped away with the first blast of music.

"Takashi!" Ember said proudly into her megaphone.

"Oh no," Takashi hissed still as a flee in Danny's ear. "Not good!"

"Capture the dipstick and the others while I deal with forest princess," Ember ordered her Guardian over the megaphone, probably just to show off. "Grab 'em and bag 'em! I want all of them, even the Guardian. Use whatever means necessary."

Zara paused, looking down at Danny and his friends with a grim look on her face. She knew Takashi had heard the order. This wasn't part of her plan. "Get to it!" Ember yelled at her supposed Guardian.

What Ember didn't know was that if Takashi heard his command, he had to obey. Of course, he could always resist, but these were such specific orders. If it had just been broad like go take care of them, he could have bended it whatever way he wanted and avoided doing anything. But Ember portrayed what she wanted thoroughly. He'd have to comply, or suffer the consequences of direct violation which would be painful and even deadly if Ember was passionate enough about the command.

Without a word, Takashi jumped off of Danny's ear and morphed into his preferred form. He didn't pause for thought. He spun around in mid air to face Danny with both palms stretched out toward the confused teen. The Guardian let out a short blast of ectoplasm that caught the ghost boy in the chest.

"What is going on?" Theo shouted at Takashi after watching Danny get blasted away with one shot from the Guardian. He looked up at Takashi, perplexed and angry. Then it clicked. "You're not Zara, are you?" he asked quietly in horror.

"Surprise," Takashi muttered emotionlessly. With a vigorous kick, he smashed the iced over vine keeping Theo in place. Without breaking stride, he grabbed the back of Theo's shirt and flew up toward Ember's ship before Theo could even get his head back on straight.

Ember had already sent out her speedy little ships to attack Demeter, so she had had the time to see what had been going on below with Danny and the rest. She stared down, dumbfounded, as Takashi suddenly revealed himself and flew up towards her with Theo in tow. Zara watched too, calm and collected in her preferred form.

Takashi flew over Ember and Zara, landed behind them, and then violently threw Theo into the arms of some waiting deck hands. The demigod gave a yelp as he was flung. Struggling in the strong grip of the beefy men now holding him, Theo managed to station himself to see what was going on with the other Guardians and Ember.

"Takashi?" Ember asked the real one in disbelief. "If that's you, then who is he?" she asked, looking over to Zara beside her. It came to her a second later. "A switch?" she screamed in outrage.

"We'll discuss this later, master," Takashi said through clenched teeth. He briskly walked to the edge of the ship, ignoring her hard gaze that bore down on him.

"No!" Ember yelled at him. Flinching, Takashi stopped in mid stride. His veins burned from her harsh command. He was dead meat. "Was this your idea?" Ember demanded to know. "Was this some sick joke you thought up while bored? When were you going to tell me you switched places with this thing?" She shoved a thumb toward Zara to show who she was talking about.

Zara wasn't reacting at all. She watched with cool, golden eyes as things unfolded. Mostly, she watched Takashi.

"Can't this wait?" Takashi asked. "Don't you want Danny and the girl? Oh, and I still have to capture that Guardian right behind you, the one who came up with this imbecilic scheme to make spying more fun. This is your fault, Zaramama."

"Don't blame this on me, Takashi," Zara said with a sneaky smile. "You agreed to it, didn't you? And we had our fun. But we are found out, so now let's get down to business. You want me, then you better be quick, because I have some kids to babysit and it is way past their bedtime." She winked over to Theo.

Simultaneously, the two changed forms. Takashi was back into his samurai form with sword already drawn and stationed in front of him. Zara, grinning wickedly, took the same one from before, the Inca warrior girl. She crouched down on the railing beside Ember with her spear ready to be used at her side.

"Whoa! What is up with you two?" Ember said while backing away from Zara. She could literally feel the air between the two spark with tension. The ghost had never seen two Guardians fight before. Theo, on the other hand, knew how serious these two were. But they had battled before, and Theo knew Zara was the better of the two.

Suddenly the two came at each other. All Ember and Theo saw were two blurs attacking. Takashi's sword whizzed through the air at impossible speeds as did Zara's spear. Embraced in their fighting dance, the two traveled across the deck, all the while beautifully thrusting, parrying, swiping at their opponent with sharp battle cries and loud grunts from effort.

Then, with a swift lunge forward after a swing from Takashi that left him open for a split second, Zara plowed into the other Guardian and sent both of them through the floor with the help of her ghost powers. Theo and Ember stared at the empty spot where they used to be in shocked silence.

The two Guardians fell into a room below deck, Zara on top and a vulnerable Takashi below. They landed with a loud crash on the floor of a sleeping room for the workers there. Metal bunk beds lined the walls and were bolted to the floor in the middle of the room to make two perfect walkways between the sets of beds.

The Guardians sprang to their feet. Takashi had lost his sword in the fall. He didn't have the time to make himself another one. Improvising, he wrenched a set of bunk beds out of their bolts, and with a roar, threw it right at Zara. She swore while rolling out of the way.

Zara kneeled while coming out of her roll. The bed slammed into another behind her. The metals screeched as they collided with each other. Bedding haphazardly flew to the ground. Zara let out a sharp yell while taking quick aim at her target. She threw her spear like a javelin at Takashi.

Takashi saw the spear come at him. Frowning, he tried his best to move out of the way although he knew she had got him. The sharp blade at the end of the spear pierced through the armor right under Takashi's left arm. The power of the throw forced the Guardian backwards. The spear head thudded into the wall, pinning Takashi to it.

"Throwing that bed at me was a little over the top," Zara commented, standing up and walking toward Takashi. "If I didn't know you better, Tak, I'd say you meant to do that."

"I did," Takashi claimed. "This is your fault."

Zara looked annoyed as she folded her arms in front of her chest while changing into her preferred form. Takashi did the same, glaring at her as the spear vanished and he was released.

"Why are you so mad at me, Takashi?" she asked. "You knew you'd get punished for the switch. I know I'm going to suffer too. But you agreed with my plan, so don't go blaming me for your misfortune."

Takashi rolled his eyes, scoffing, "I don't care about the pain. I've learned to deal with that part. Years under Vlad will do that to you."

"Then what is your deal?" Zara boldly asked. "You're acting real jerky right now. And emotional. What are you? Human?"

"That is exactly my point!" Takashi accused. "You knew I'd get emotional over those halfwitted humans, didn't you? You knew I'd bond with that pathetic little human girl. You knew I'd get attached to them. You knew I'd be conflicted with all these useless, pitiful human emotions! I hate this!"

"So?" Zara said with an uncaring shrug. "I hate them too. By the way, you're using anger a little too much at the moment. Clam down. Once you know which emotion you're dealing with, it is easy to control it."

"How do you know this?" Takashi asked, mortified. "How do you know about all these weird emotions?"

"I learned them," Zara answered. She walked up to her friend. Takashi matched her step, taking his own backwards till he was pressed up against the wall. Zara smirked at his timidness. He had seemed to have the emotions under control around the others. Now, with her, alone, he was all over the place. What was his problem?

"Then how come you know how to control them so well?" Takashi asked her. "You haven't seemed to change over the past few centuries." He paused for thought before concluding, "You gained them back with Danny Phantom and his sister, which was like a thousand years ago, didn't you?"

"Quick as always," Zara sighed.

"Then why did you plan all this for me to gain them?" Takashi asked her.

"Don't you get it, Takashi?" Zara said. "We Guardians have always had these emotions. We've just been bred and trained to keep them all in and at bay. We've always been able to tap into them. The few who did, always ended up dead, though. We're assassins. It's our job to kill and be ruthless. Since the very beginning of the human world and we became slaves to them, emotions had no room in our lives."

"They don't feel natural right now," Takashi pointed out. "And you still didn't answer my question. Why did you want me to become 'enlightened' with emotions?"

Zara sighed, hating her only plausible answer. "Because I thought it might come in handy later on if you had an emotional connection with Danny and his group," she said. "It makes total sense in my head. You know how that is."

"So I'm part of your diabolical plans?" Takashi sneered. "Should have suspected that much from you. Actually, I did. And I was still the idiot who ran right into your trap."

"It was unavoidable," Zara said with a grin. "You forget who you're dealing with." Takashi just stared silently back at her, his deep dark eyes a mystery to her. She leaned toward him, asking, "What? You aren't mad at me?"

"N-no," Takashi said, failing at his attempt to sound comfortable with Zara this close. Their noses were practically touching. "Only stupid humans wouldn't see your logic and understand the complexities of a Guardian's plans and intentions. I understand where you are coming from. And I know your character. I should have predicted this outcome."

"Did you just stutter?" Zara asked him with a delighted evil smile. "What emotion do you feel now that is making you so strange? Come on, come out with it!"

"What are you talking about?" Takashi asked. "I don't know what I'm feeling. You're the emotion expert here."

"Okay, then just guess," Zara said. "Are you scared? Usually humans stutter when they are afraid."

"I-I can't express it with words," Takashi said quietly.

"There you go again!" Zara said with a giggle. "I've never stuttered before. I wonder what emotion it belongs to. Come on, Tak, just do whatever to get it out. Just..."

She was cut off when Takashi's lips connected with hers. She was too surprised to resist the kiss. She let her emotions take over, deepening the kiss with her own passion by pushing Takashi against the wall. He gently took her head in his hands as his heated emotions flared with her acceptance.

After what seemed like a lifetime of bliss, the two pulled away, gasping for breath. Zara looked petrified now that she had time to think. Takashi leaned his head back against the wall, frowning with this new complication. This wasn't good.

"Okay," Zara said, her voice shaky. He had definitely knocked her right off her feet and off guard with that kiss. But she had persisted for the emotion...and carried it along without resisting.

"I shouldn't have done that," Takashi said emotionlessly. He glared down at the floor.

"No," Zara said quickly. "That just wasn't part of my plan. It wasn't your fault. I-I just don't know what to do next. Man, I did _not_ just stutter!"

"Go rescue Theo and the others," Takashi said. His voice was deadpan. "I'll pretend that you beat me. Ember relieved me of her first order when she commanded me to stop and talk to her. It's the easiest excuse of getting out of an order in the book."

"Takashi," Zara whispered. Her soft voice was sad and full of fervor.

"No," Takashi said sternly, avoiding her eyes. "Don't do this, Zara. You know this is dangerous. Go save your friends." He sighed before adding quietly, "Say goodbye to Melody for me."

"I'm sorry," Zara said as she backed away from the Guardian. She meant it. She wished she hadn't done this to him. She had endangered both their lives by making Takashi come to terms with his emotions. Now she had to crush him with this passion, this love, that could never be. She was afraid that it was too late, tough. The damage had been done.

"Go," Takashi said. His eyes were still on the ground, refusing her gaze. He fully knew the risk a Guardian relationship was. He had had to kill friends before as a Guardian. Their kills had been hard on him, but everyone knew it was only part of the job. But if him and Zara ever took this relationship further, killing her would be impossible and fatal. They'd both die if the command was uttered.

Zara suddenly rested her forehead against Takashi's. They both shuddered as they looked into each others eyes. "I'm going to miss you," Takashi told her. His voice was heavy with emotion. Zara sighed heavily while closing her eyes.

Finally, she brought him into another intense kiss that lasted only a short two seconds before pulling away. "I know," she said. Zara took a step away from Takashi then blasted upward and phased through the ceiling without another word.

Takashi banged his head against the wall, grimacing from the agony this new emotion gave him. Love could be the greatest thing this human world could have given him. What he hadn't realized till then was that it could be just as painful as it was wonderful. But he'd never want to take it away, despite it all. His love for Zaramama was worth this pain. It was a suicide thought, but he didn't care. Thinking of her gave him strength somehow.

And these next few weeks he would desperately need that strength. He couldn't help but dread the thought of his punishment for the switch. Ember was going to send him back to his true master. Vlad Plasmius.

A/N: Oh, some more Vlad is coming up! If you read Soul Searching, you know how much I love writing his character. Aw, thinking of that fan fic is making me depressed. I ended it this week and it made me so sad. But, I'm moving to Peru in less than a month! That makes me happy. And now I'm ranting. Sorry. Okay, next chapter is next weekend. I might start updating this fic two times a week because Soul Searching is done, but not this next week. I kinda need a break. See you guys then!


	18. Chapter 18 Punishments

A/N: So many cool surprises in this chapter. It was a fun one to write. Oh, and there is the return of Vlad. He's such an awesome villain. Well, not much else to say so enjoy the chapter and thanks for all your reviews!

Disclaimer: I own everything except the Danny Phantom characters in this fic.

Chapter 18 Punishments

The round room was ballroom sized. One, large intricate designed chandelier hung from the ornately domed ceiling. It cast bright illumination throughout the large, echoing room. The smoothly polished floor reflected the brilliance it radiated. It captured the light and swirled it into complex, beautiful patterns across its stones.

Along the walls were pricy artifacts and pieces of art. These pieces ranged from antique ancient Chinese vases that towered over even a grown man, to a burnt piece of the Declaration of Independence placed carefully in a glass box, purely for show of power. Vlad had defeated America and its democracy long ago.

Takashi's erratic breathing was the only sound that seemed to pierce the regular haunting, still silence of the usually empty room. Only ten minutes ago, Vlad Plasmius had summoned him to the room. Only true masters could summon their Guardians, making the slaves appear before them even if they are miles and miles away. This is the obvious reason why Guardians don't even consider the option of running away. It doesn't get them far.

In the first ten minutes of their reunion, Vlad had dealt his misbehaving Guardian a punishment the ruler had seen fit. With cold, heartless red eyes, Plasmius had watched his slave writhe helplessly in agony on the floor of his immense ballroom without any amount of pity.

The slave knew he had it coming to him. Vlad had assigned Takashi to the skies with Ember for a vacation. Takashi had been very grateful when he heard the news of a five year break from the regularly strict order Vlad had with him in the Tower. The rebellious slave had only lasted two out of the five years.

Thankfully, Takashi was back now to do whatever he bid. Vlad never admitted it to the Guardian, but Takashi was one of his better slaves. It had taken a few decades of constant punishments and pain, but Vlad had broke the slave down eventually. Takashi did exactly whatever Vlad told him to do. The man knew he could always trust Takashi to do his work.

In a way, Plasmius was disappointed with the Guardian. And that was why he was going to give him this one important mission. If he completed this one for him, Vlad knew he wouldn't have to throw the Guardian out altogether. It was his one chance to redeem himself.

"What is your wish, master?" Takashi asked with a steady, calm voice despite the fact that he was close to passing out. His whole body wobbled unsteadily a few times, but he managed to keep to his feet, wincing with every labored breath.

"You are to travel to the past," Vlad said with no emotion. His hands were calmly clasped behind his back. Those infamous red eyes bore down into his slave who humbled himself under the gaze. The last time Takashi defiantly had made eye contact with the man, he'd wished Vlad had killed him.

"There, you will retrieve a certain someone," Vlad continued with his order. "You will use the Infamap to get there, but unfortunately not on the trip back. Mac on level 55 will give you the details of your mission. Do you understand, slave?"

"Yes, sir," Takashi said with a quick nod. Why did he have a bad feeling about this? Already, he wished he was back with Ember and her fun insults and lenient behavior. He'd give anything at the moment to hear her call him dipstick.

"Do not disappoint me again, Takashi," Vlad commanded.

"I won't," Takashi said rather quickly. "Consider it done." He stiffened when Vlad took a slow step toward him, closing the small gap between the two. The feeling of lava filling his veins painfully returned when Vlad took his Guardian's chin in one of his hands and lifted it up.

On the outside, Takashi kept up a firm and composed expression with teeth gritted as white hot pain rushed through and burned his essence. His eyes locked with Vlad's, and the powerful ghost saw the true emotion of his slave. It was pure fear. Just like he liked it.

"No," Vlad with a malice undertone. He was inches away from Takashi's face, "No you wont." He expressed a cruel, vicious grin before saying, "Bring me back Samantha Manson."

-Danny-

Releasing a short battle yell, Danny lunged forward with his sword. The seemingly perpetual frown planted on Theo's lips only deepened as he had to jump quickly backwards to avoid the strike. Danny rushed toward his opponent, bringing his blade back up for another swing.

Theo let out a yelp as he was forced to bend backwards. Danny's sword cut the air right above the demigod's stomach. The metal flashed orange in the bright afternoon sun. Theo grunted while flipping back to his feet. He was rocked with another one of Danny's swift attacks. Theo brought his blade up in time to block Danny's. Their metals collided with a harsh clash. Their glares matched each other's.

Both boys had been going at each other with their weapons for a few hours now. Their bodies were worn ragged. Sweat dripped off their bodies and was being collected into puddles on the wooden deck. Each of their breaths were irregular, their chests heaving for oxygen.

"You're distracted," Danny told Theo, their noses inches away from each other. He pressed his body against his sword, and Theo, not wanting to back down from the challenge, did the same.

"It's that stupid Guardian," Theo admitted. "Is it really that obvious?"

"You're sucking right now, dude," Danny grumbled. He lifted a leg up and kicked his friend away. Theo took a few steps backwards and raised his sword for another perry. He let Danny strike a few more times, debating if he should say anything at all to the ghost kid.

"Why did she do that?" Theo asked Danny suddenly.

"I don't want to discuss this right now," Danny muttered. He wasn't on good terms with Zara at the moment. He felt tricked, like a big, dumb dope. And even now, he could never be sure if he was talking to Zara or Takashi. He didn't like that feeling. He didn't like the feeling of having no trust for someone who he considered his friend.

Danny gave another battle yell, jumping forward for a powerful swing. Theo tried blocking his opponent's blade, but it had come too quick and too strong. He was thrown off his feet with a shout of alarm. He fell onto his back and sat up to have Danny's sword point resting on his heaving chest.

"You and I both know she didn't do that just for the fun of it," Theo panted.

"Can't we talk about this later?" Danny asked, raising the sword point to Theo's exposed throat.

Without any warning, Theo kicked Danny's hand holding the hilt of his sword. Danny gave a cry and released his blade by mistake. Theo threw his own sword to the side before rolling to his feet and throwing a palm into Danny's chest. Danny caught the half sphinx's hand before it made contact, glaring at his friend in anger.

"Lesson time," Theo said with a tired smirk, "Don't talk back to the teacher."

Theo, still caught in Danny's hold, shoved a knee into the boy's stomach and drove the air out of him. Danny doubled over in pain, gasping desperately for air. Theo hooked his foot behind Danny's ankle and pulled back his leg. Danny was tripped backwards onto his back. Theo sat on Danny's chest, pinning the teen's arms above his head.

"How do you go from excellent sword master to pathetic kid in two seconds?" Theo sneered into Danny's furious face.

"Get off me, Theo," Danny said with frustration. He struggled in Theo's grip, but the demigod had always been the stronger one in these situations.

"No," Theo said, "Not until we talk about this thing. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of her trickery. Yes, she got us out of that mess with Demeter and Ember. Yes, she gave us another thermos with a goddess inside. Yes, she's probably smarter than all of us put together, but I don't trust her."

"So what do you want us to do?" Danny asked tersely.

"Well, she's too smart to let go right now," Theo answered. "Besides, Melody likes her too much. We can't dismiss her."

"We can always give her a punishment," Danny suggested just to please the demigod sitting on him.

"And here I thought gossiping was only for girls," Zara's voice said from above the two. Gasping in surprise, both boys looked up. Zara stood alone in her preferred form, both hands on hips and a serious frown on her lips. She took in the boys and expressed some amusement before saying, "I won't even ask."

Theo and Danny turned crimson under Zara's cruel smile. Theo quickly let Danny go and they shot to their feet, trying to get over their awkward embarrassment. Zara only watched them, trying not to smirk. It was so easy to manipulate these guys. It was like she had their emotions on a string.

And it was time to pull that string one more time.

When both their eyes rested back onto Zara, the Guardian looked down with an air of sadness. "I'm sorry, masters, for tricking you for those ten days Takashi and I switched places," Zara said her apology in a somber voice. She knew Theo would never believe her contrite attitude, but Danny might be a sucker for it.

"Ten days?" Theo shouted in shock. "I thought you two switched when you two fought back in the jungle!"

"Uh...no," Zara said slowly. She winced a little when his harsh tone of voice sent her essence a stab of pain. "I thought I mentioned this before."

"No, you didn't," Theo said, flabbergasted. "What in the Underworld were you thinking? You let the enemy in without any hesitation! You know how dangerous that was for all of us? At any time, he could have decided to turn on all of us and kill us! You had no clue what orders Ember had given him before the switch. You put all our lives on the line!"

"Especially Melody's," Danny said quietly. "Takashi didn't know a thing about her or her powers. If you were there with us when Demeter attacked, we could have used her through your knowledge of her powers. But you weren't there. We would have all died if Ember hadn't showed up."

Zara sighed heavily before nodding. "Yeah, I know," she said. "I took a chance with Takashi. But I knew he was going to handle it. I've known him for centuries. I even trained him. And he did the switch brilliantly! I knew what I was doing when I made the switch, okay?"

"No, not okay!" Danny spoke up. He was heated as he said, "You tricked all of us! You know how stupid that makes Theo and me feel? And now, how do I know if you're the real Zara or not? You want me to order you around all day just so I can tell if you're Zara or Takashi? Tell me! You want that?"

Zara didn't say anything. She only stared sadly back at Danny, lost for words. She knew he had screwed up bad with this one. First Takashi and her relationship was pushed too far. Now Danny was blowing up in her face. The Guardian hadn't had a plan bomb this bad in years! She almost forgot how awful it felt.

Theo gave a long, heavy sigh to dispel the silence between the two. "I think she gets it, Danny," he told his friend.

The teen shot Theo a look outrage. Danny didn't understand Theo's behavior. He thought that Theo would be more angry with Zara than he was at the moment. But Theo was taking it quite well. The demigod knew more than what he was letting on.

"Here comes the punishment," Zara muttered. She prepared her essence for the immense pain about to come.

Theo pushed Danny away to look the Guardian in the eyes. He grinned wickedly before saying, "Zara, I command you to scout ahead of the ship for any Terra for the next week. When you are not scouting, you are here cooking for us and mopping the deck. I want my ship sparkling every night. And no more nicknames and insults. I hear one from you, and I'll order you to eat Danny's cooking. Understood?"

At first Zara was terribly excited for a punishment that didn't involve pain. But as the demigod had continued his command, Zara's shoulders slumped in disappointment. Her whole essence seemed to deflate with the promise of a week full of boring, mindless chores. He even threatened with Danny's cooking! Who did he think he was?

"I _hate_ you," Zara growled in anger. "What if I refuse?"

"I could command you to cram yourself into a tin can for this week instead," Theo said slyly.

"You wouldn't!" Zara loathsomely seethed. Tin was from the earth. After spending a day on Demeter's Terra, she was sick of smelling like the horrid element.

"Try me," Theo shot back. A proud smirk adorned his face.

Zara kept up her hard, furious glare even as she changed form. She was now a cute little yellow bird, one Takashi had always favored. She didn't know why she adopted that form. Maybe she missed the Guardian more than she thought. Her anger at the moment blocked out her sentimental thoughts, though.

"Yes, _master_," Zara spat at Theo before flying off.

Theo sighed again while him and Danny watched her go. "I'm glad that was dealt with finally," he said. He chuckled and Danny gave him a weird look. "I remembered seeing a master punish his Guardian with chores like that such a long time ago. Strange how my memory brought that back up at the perfect time. That will keep her busy and angry for some days."

"Why didn't you push for more answers from her?" Danny asked. He was still steaming.

"Because I figured out why she did that," Theo said simply.

"Really?" Danny asked in surprise. "Why?"

"She wants alliances," Theo explained. "She told us she knew Takashi enough to trust he wouldn't hurt us. She put him in her place and let him get to know and like us. She's a strategic thinker. She knows in the long run we need people on our side. She wanted Takashi to like us so he'd be on our side when the time came, which could maybe sway Ember as well. But her plan didn't go so smoothly when Takashi got found out that quickly."

"She really thinks that far ahead?" Danny wondered.

"Guardians have always thought on different planes of thought," Theo said with a shrug.

"Meaning?" Danny sighed. Theo always just assumed he knew everything. It was annoying.

"If you print three different books one on top of another, they can read all three books at once and comprehend it all," Theo said. "They think in that way. While we have one plane of thought, they can be thinking three different things all on different planes as if they have multiple brains or something."

"Strange," was all Danny could say. "How do you know so much about Guardians?"

"In the ancient days, Guardians were used regularly," Theo said. "Gods, demigods, and humans all used them. I had to command one once, but that was long ago. I hardly remember it." The dark look in his eye and the shiver told Danny otherwise. Theo continued before Danny could ask. "In your time period, they are very well hidden. Every president has a few hundred under them. If you know where to look, you'll find them practically everywhere, though."

"You know, that actually makes sense," Danny said. He grinned at Theo's raised eyebrow.

"Imagine that," was Theo's sarcastic remark before he struck with a strong punch. Danny narrowly avoided the hit as he dropped into a crouch. He stuck his leg out and swung it around to trip Theo up. The half sphinx jumped in time, flipping smoothly right over Danny's head.

Theo landed behind the teen and smiled slightly while saying, "Imagine that. You're getting better."

"Was that an insult or a complement?" Danny shot back. Theo only laughed, coming at the teen again. Danny geared himself for another royal beat down. Training sucked.

-Two Days Later-

Zara glanced at the dusty old clock on the wall to see how many minutes she had left to sit around before she had to continue scouting. She had found a dirty little pit stop bar to hang out in for a few hours before Theo and his ship caught up with her. She never liked the bar scene, but it was way better than flying around being bored. At least here she could people watch and get her mind off some things she wanted to avoid thinking about...like Takashi.

The bar was dim and dingy, definitely not the greatest and safest place to hang out. The seating and furniture was all wooden and sticky from spilled drinks over the years that were never cleaned up. The air was heavy with cigarette smoke and the thick smell of tobacco. Zara let her senses submerge into the overwhelming scents, trying not to think about anything for the moment.

Numerous people showed up and left as the hours passed on by. Some were simply travelers there to eat and left quickly. Many were dark and suspicious characters that Zara had fun observing. These were the kind of guys that lived on the nasty side of life. She had the feeling that some were murders and assassins. To her, they were very interesting.

But nobody was as interesting as the last person who walked in. Zara was just seeing that she had five minutes left before taking off when the door swung open and a man with a long, hooded cloak that came down to his waist strove in. Usually someone with his lithe and slightly small stature would have gotten narrowed eyes from the group of big, beefy and scarred men there, but he was confident enough to make his way all the way to the back where Zara was sitting at the bar. It did help that he showed the sword by his side openly.

The man had his hood up, keeping his face in deep shadows. He sat beside Zara because it was the only empty seat there and asked the bartender quietly for a glass of water. The bald bounty hunter with a scar across his eye beside him chuckled into his glass of beer. The mystery cloak guy ignored him.

"Water, huh?" Zara asked cloak guy with a sly grin. She was in the form of a seductive assassin type woman with long black hair, piercing golden eyes, and armed to the teeth with pistols and other such weapons. No one had dared to touch her this whole time.

"Keeps you hydrated, they say," the cloak guy said, a smile in his voice.

"Yeah, I've heard that from somewhere before," Zara said, her grin widening. His answer had awarded him another question. She had to say she was inthralled with this mysterious character. "Where you from?"

"It's not important right now," cloak guy said with a wave of his hand. He took a long sip of his water before saying quietly, "I'm looking for someone. You know where he is."

"I do?" Zara asked, thoroughly interested at this point. "Who is this person?"

"His name is Danny Phantom," the guy said casually.

Zara jumped out of her seat, simultaneously pulling out a laser gun. The whole bar tensed as she pointed her weapon at the new comer point blank. Every eye was pinned on the Guardian, wondering if she was actually going to pull the trigger. The bartender sighed. This would be the third shooting that month.

"What do you want with Danny Phantom?" Zara demanded. Her voice was firm and steady as she commanded from the still sitting cloak guy, "Answer me, or I swear I'll shoot you right here and now! Do _not_ play with me!"

"I can't answer that," cloak guy said calmly. He sipped some more water from his glass, as nonchalant as ever. "I just want to know where Danny Phantom is. Is it really that hard to answer such a simple question?"

"Who are you?" Zara asked, angry now. She almost just pulled the trigger right then and there. This guy was bad news and it would be better if she just killed him and got it over with. But something, a weird instinct feeling, prevented her from being too brash. "Who do you work for?"

"It's just a simple question," cloak guy sighed. "Where is Danny Phantom?"

"Do you work for Vlad?" Zara asked. "You a bounty hunter or assassin for him? Tell me!"

Cloak guy chuckled at the mention of Vlad. "Believe whatever you want, Zara," he said with a hidden smile, "I'm just here for the Fenton kid."

Zara clenched her teeth at the mention of her name. This guy knew her...or at least of her. She wasn't going to take any chances. She shoved the barrel of the pistol into the back of cloak guy's head, squeezing the trigger.

Faster than she had ever seen a human move, cloak guy had spun around, drawn his sword, and had it pressed against her throat. She couldn't see through the dark shadow of his hood to see his face or eyes, but the Guardian knew this guy meant business. The gleaming steel in the guy's hand stung Zara's essence, making her wince. This guy knew Guardians.

"This blade can hurt you, Guardian," cloak guy said, his voice stern and threatening. "Now tell me where Danny is."

"In your dreams, dude," Zara growled back before swiftly changing forms. Cloak guy gave a shout of frustration as he watched her transform into a falcon. With a loud squawk of defiance, Zara flew out of an open window by the wall with the clock. Cloak guy rushed after her, throwing himself out of the window and to the wooden deck that circled around the building like a wrap around porch.

Cloak guy's shoulders slumped as he watched Zara speedily fly away. He sheathed his gleaming sword with a sigh and began walking around the deck back to the shipping docks. He'd catch up with her sooner than later. She had to be flying back to Theo's ship, and that would be where Danny was.

A group of maybe half a dozen ships flew on by a moment later. They were all headed the way Zara had gone. Cloak guy's stomach twisted as he recognized the ships' symbol; a white crescent of a moon. This wasn't good.

"Couldn't have Ares waited just a few hours before going all gung-ho?" Cloak guy muttered to himself. By now he was sprinting across the wobbly wooden planks. He grinned slightly before adding, "Of course, this is the god of war I'm talking about. This is going to make things much more complicated." Then sarcastically, "Perfect."

A/N: Yay! Another medium length chapter! That is two in a row. And I still managed to pump this chapter with a whole lot of stuff...like Takashi's mission to kidnap Sam and the strange appearance of the Cloak Guy. Fun stuff.

And if you guys are interested, I banged my head against my wall enough times to come up with another fan fiction idea, typed out the first chapter, and plan on posting it some time this weekend. Like Soul Searching, it is in Danny's POV. The title will be Powerless. Here is the full summary: While all his friends and family are away, Danny gets a strange visit from Vlad. Soon, the ghost boy finds himself kidnapped by the man and flying across the world to Japan where Vlad is investigating a mysterious and dangerous trail of a monster of ancient proportions. Danny quickly finds out that having to pretend Vlad is his father is not as bad as the life threatening methods he must take to defeat this new evil.

That done, thanks for reading the chapter. I'll update next weekend like always. See you guys then!


	19. Chapter 19 Riding the Infimap

A/N: The return of Artemis is in this chapter. For some reason she's one of my favorite of the Greek gods and goddess. Maybe because I just love archery. Great sport! Well, lots of fun things in this chapter, so I can't keep you guys waiting. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own any characters from the show Danny Phantom.

Chapter 19 Riding the Infamap

"Hear from Rhodes lately?" Danny asked Theo casually.

They were hanging out with Bob at the helm that late morning. Even Melody was there. She sat smiling in Danny's lap as he let her play with one of his ectoplasm balls in his palm. Her wide, golden eyes were fascinated by the green sphere Danny so easily projected for her.

At the last pit stop, Theo had received some more letters from the Rebellion. Instead of training Danny for an hour before lunch, the demigod had decided to take a break to read all his complex orders and fill out the forms that would explain their captures of the gods and goddesses they already had in thermoses.

At the mention of his wife's name, Theo brought his head up from where it was hovering over a specifically difficult form. "Yeah," he answered. "She's...uh...doing fine." He paused and stared off into space before returning his focus back to his paper.

"What is she doing, really?" Danny asked. "You said she was part of the Rebellion, but you never gave me details."

"Rhodes is leading the mission on the attack of Vlad's Terra," Theo said quickly. "Right now she and the other leaders like Mandrake are teaming up to come up with the plan to take Plasmius down. When we are done with collecting the gods and goddesses, our orders are to report immediately back to them."

"So she's like one of the main Rebellion leaders?" Danny asked, impressed.

"She's done a lot to help this world," Theo said softly as he thought of his wife. He smiled faintly when he glanced up at Danny and Melody. "Did I tell you she's-."

The half sphinx was cut off abruptly with the landing of Zara. She transformed in midair and plopped down in a crouch right on his paper form. She looked a little winded and shook up from her frantic flight there.

"We have company!" she told the group before any of them could ask. "Half a dozen ships following me from Ares' Terra. I took them on a wild goose chase, but they are too quick. They will be coming up from behind us."

Theo swore under his breath and got to his feet with the stomped paper in his hand. He shooed Bob away from the helm and controls and took over. As he worked the levers and sped the ship up, Zara came over to Danny and Melody looking flustered.

"Do you know anyone who likes wearing hooded cloaks?" she asked him.

"No," Danny answered, perplexed. "Why?"

"Because some dude was asking for you," Zara said. "He knew my name too and knew I was a Guardian. You sure you don't know this guy? He also had a sword made of silver. Ring any bells?"

Danny shrugged. "Nope," he said. "Why is he a problem?"

"Looks like Vlad hired someone to take you out," Zara said in thought. She was very serious and intense when she put her face close to the boy's and said, "Promise me If you see someone with a cloak and sword just...run."

"Okay, fine," Danny said, leaning backwards to get away from her. "You can stop freaking me out now."

"Where did you find this cloaked guy?" Theo asked Zara from the helm.

"Uh...at an island pub near the Terra," Zara said hesitantly. She tried a sheepish smile as if the expression would quell their anger. It didn't work as planned.

"Oh, come on!" Danny yelled at her. "Scouting was part of your punishment and you couldn't even do that right! Jeez, Zara!"

"Don't think you're getting away with this, Guardian," Theo barked behind his shoulder.

"Yeah, okay, I get it already," Zara muttered while crossing her arms. "Can we get back on subject here? Ares is after us. We need a plan."

"Did these ships have a symbol on them?" Danny asked. "Like a white moon?"

Theo and Zara stared dumbfounded at the teen still sitting there with Melody on his lap. Since when did the ghost boy know anything about the Terras? It kind of surprised the two smart ones of the group.

"They all had white crescent moons," Zara said after the pause.

"That means Ares is serious," Danny mused out loud. "I read that he only sends out Artemis and her band of hunters when he wants to make sure to capture a ship."

"Since when were you an expert on Terras?" Zara said.

"Who cares?" Theo butted in before Danny could say something. He walked over to the pair and Melody. "You said so yourself, Guardian. We need a plan. Do you have one?"

"Yes," Zara said with an evil grin, "Don't get caught."

"Cute," Theo muttered.

Danny suddenly lunged forward with an outstretched hand. Theo and Zara backed away from him in shock. In his hand was the shaft of an arrow. It was still vibrating from traveling through the air. Its point had been aimed right for Theo's head. He gulped at the thought that he had almost been killed.

"That was too close," Danny breathed.

"Guys," Zara said while looking behind them. Slowly, she picked up Melody and held her close, "Artemis is here."

The boys looked up and saw a whole fleet of maybe half a dozen ships catching up to them. They all had purple solar sails for speed and were around the same size as Theo's ship. The fleet was catching up quickly with Theo's ship by now. They were fanning out on both sides to try and surround the ship.

At the front of the leading ship was Artemis herself with her bow still in hand. On the deck of each ship was a squad of archers. Each squad had twelve female archers at all ages. There wasn't a male in sight.

"Plan," Theo yelled at his group. "Zara, go get a thermos, no, make that two, and fly Melody out of here. Danny, Bob, and I will distract and lure Artemis away. I don't think this is a fight we'll win, so meet us on Ares' Terra. Those are your orders. Now go!"

"Aye, aye, captain!" Zara said with a mock, two finger salute. She dove into the floor while going intangible with Melody in her arms. Below deck would be where they stored thermoses and weapons. The boys had no time to get their weapons, though. Their battle was starting right now.

"Bob," Theo said to his blob friend. "Steer the ship." Bob nodded, looking worried. "Please don't pass out," Theo said. Bob got offended by this and started cursing the demigod in his language. "Oh, shut up!" Theo argued. "I don't want to hear it from you. You got your donut. You would think that would satisfy you."

This whole time, Danny was watching Artemis intently. He had read somewhere that when Vlad offered the gods a secure place of power in the distant future that she had declined at first. But at the last second she had traveled with them as Ares' assistant. He wondered what had changed her mind. And she hated Ares. What made her on his side now?

Tensing, Danny saw the goddess notch another arrow in the blink of an eye. He rushed past Theo while commanding his powers for an ectoplasm shield. As soon as it was created, Artemis' arrow smacked into its glowing energies. The ghost boy winced in pain. Somehow her arrow had hurt him when it collided with his shield.

Theo and and Danny walked out to the main deck of their ship. The goddess' fleet had by now thoroughly surrounded Theo's ship, boxing it in so it had little to no where to go. The boys stood back to back, Theo with his fire powers consuming his hands and Danny with narrowed glimmering green eyes. They were ready for a fight.

"Ladies!" Artemis' voice sounded in the wind. She sounded stone cold, nothing like her old, fun self that Danny had remembered from two years ago.

"Ready your arrows!" Artemis yelled at her band of warriors. All at the same time, the women squads stood in their archery stances, brought up their bows, and notched arrows.

Both Danny and Theo glared at their opponents grimly. This didn't look good. Artemis wasn't even giving them a warning. She was just shooting now and asking questions later.

"Fire!"

With these words, arrows were let loose. Danny summoned another shield that would protect him and Theo from the incoming missiles. Danny grunted with effort and pain as each arrow that hit nipped at his gut. These guys must have had some power to hurt him even with his shield.

Before anyone could reload, Theo jumped out of the protectiveness of Danny's shield and ran for the railing of the ship. He jumped high into the air, putting those feline genes to good use, and blasted a fire attack that fanned out like a wave. It exploded out of his fists and spread out while heading toward a squad of archers.

Screaming, the whole squad found themselves on fire from Theo's blazing attack. Theo landed on the other ship, rolled smoothly to his feet, and sprinted for cover. Arrows randomly thudded into the wooden floor as he ran at a frantic pace, zig-zagging to avoid getting shot.

Meanwhile, Danny was flying through the air, blasting away at other ships' archery squads. The women never flinched as he attacked. They kept firing and Danny was having trouble keeping clear of their shots. These girls were very well trained. With Artemis as their teacher, though, he shouldn't have expected less.

"What do you want with us?" Danny screamed at Artemis as he zoomed past her to get away from some more arrows.

"Nothing personal, ghost boy," Artemis called out to him. She notched another one of her arrows and aimed for him. "Ares is in desperate need of entertaining fighters. His commands were to bring you two in, confused and angry."

Mentally, Danny cursed the god of war. He hated that ghost with a passion.

"Well, you're doing a heck of a job in both areas," Theo growled while jumping into the scene. He landed by Artemis' side and threw a good sized fire punch at her. The goddess was nimble in all her movements as she flipped right over the demigod's head. He looked up in time to see her notch an arrow while in midair.

With an alarmed yelp, Theo flung himself into a roll. It was a move that saved his life. A second later, Artemis' arrow thudded into the floor where he had just been standing, narrowly missing his tail. The demigod was on his feet a moment later, spinning around to face his opponent.

Artemis had already landed, notched another arrow, and was drawing back the string when Theo turned around. Theo lunged to the side after creating a small, distracting wave of fire in front of him in hopes of stalling her long enough so she could see him better. This time he wasn't quick enough. Artemis met her mark.

Theo let out a gasp when the first arrow snagged the sleeve of his shirt and he was dragged downward by its momentum. Before he had even hit the deck, Artemis had let loose with a barrage of more arrows. By the time he was on his back, he was pinned with at least a dozen arrows in his clothes. Desperate to free himself, Theo struggled to rip free.

"Don't move, Theo," Artemis said coldly from above. Theo looked up and found himself at arrow point. Artemis stood a top of him with an arrow aimed right at his head. Her strong, muscular arms easily kept the bowstring pulled back.

Sighing heavily with defeat, Theo let his body drop back down on the deck. He glared at the goddess and asked, "What is Ares going to do with us?"

"You," she started without any emotion, "You're signed up for today's big chariot race."

"Doesn't sound too bad," Theo said with a sardonic grin. "I've been through enough of them to survive." Artemis didn't react physically. She only stared stoically down at her captive, the bowstring still pulled back.

"For Danny," she continued, "The gladiator pit."

Theo's stomach dropped at these words. He tried to contain his fear as he leaned upward and hissed at her, "You can't do that to him! He's never even killed someone!"

Artemis pressed the tip of her arrow into Theo's forehead to force him back down before saying ominously, "Either the boy kills his opponent or he dies. It is his choice."

-Takashi-

Level 55 in the Tower was strictly for four kinds of people. The first was Vlad Plasmius. He owned the Tower, the Terra, and practically the world, so he had the right to be on the level whenever he wanted to.

The second person that was allowed on the floor was Theo. Level 55 held the Infamap. The young man was the creator of it, so of course he was allowed to traverse the level whenever he was working. At the moment there was a rumor going around the Tower that the demigod had escaped, but Vlad had given out no information about the half sphinx's absence due to pride issues. The ghost had said Theo was in solitary confinement, but less people were believing him as the days passed on by without the half feline.

The third person who could be on the level without getting in trouble was Mac. Mac was one of Vlad's loyal and trusted Guardians. He worked the floor; making sure no one who shouldn't be on it wasn't snooping around, cleaned it, and was made to monitor the Infamap and the few who used it.

The fourth and last kind of person who could be on Level 55 were the few assassins, mercenaries, Guardians, and others on the same par that Plasmius employed or owned. Sometimes the ghost gave them missions that made them go through time. He would send them to Level 55 where Theo would use the Infamap to send them where and when Vlad needed them to go and back.

Takashi found himself in category four again.

Sighing deeply, Takashi waited in the elevator as it took him down to Level 55. He had his hands in his pockets and felt simply nonchalant. He missed Zara of course, but his job as Guardian always came above feelings. He had a mission to complete. A mission that had him stuck.

Why did Vlad want him to kidnap a pathetic human girl from the past? What could he possibly want with her? He hated being the one to ask questions.

The doors didn't open when the glass elevator stopped at the floor. Takashi took out a card from his back pocket and slipped it into the control panel, typed in a few keys, and watched as the door swoosh open for him to reveal a long corridor...and Mac.

"Long time, no see, Takashi!" Mac said with some excitement. He was in his preferred form of a German Shepherd dog. Takashi had heard that Mac had been born during one of the World Wars. His first job as a Guardian had been to be a guard dog for a Nazi general. Apparently the Guardian had taken a liking to his roots like many others.

"Let's get this over with, Mac," Takashi sighed. The two Guardians walked side by side down the hallway. Mac's doggy claws clicked with every step on the metal floor. "I'm not in a very good mood," Takashi added. "Vlad is getting on my nerves."

"Yeah," Mac agreed. "He's been so uptight lately. Is that why he canceled your vacation? Or was it because he wanted you to do this top secret mission? Or was it because you had some fun with Zaramama while with Ember? Is it true that you bumped into her? How is the sly old girl doing?"

Takashi frowned in annoyance. "Do you ever shut up?" he asked Mac. "How can I answer you if you keep asking such irritating questions?"

"You're avoiding my questions by asking me more questions," Mac said with a sneaky dog smile. The guy was clueless for being such an old Guardian. "You might think you are so smart, kid, but I'm older than you. I have more experience. I know when someone is shaking off my questions."

"You're like a decade older than me," Takashi shot back, thoroughly bothered at this point in the conversation. "That doesn't even count in Guardian years. Besides, I spent fifty years time traveling to the past, so, really, I'm older than you."

"And you get to time travel again today," Mac said with sarcastic cheerfulness. He knew how much Takashi didn't like using the Infamap the way they did. All Guardians complained how time travel that way hurts their essence. "Won't that make you happy?"

"I just want to get this mission done and over with, Mac," Takashi sighed wearily.

"You got punished real bad, didn't you?" Mac asked. His voice was more serious now. All of Vlad's Guardians understood the pain the ghost could inflict on them. Life under the man was a tiresome one.

"It wasn't anything I haven't experienced before," Takashi said. "It's just that my essence aches right now. I've been away from home for such a long time."

"Does Vlad ever send you back to the Ghost Zone to recoup between missions?" Mac asked.

"That man hasn't let me go back since I became his Guardian," Takashi answered with a bitter undertone. "Forty years I've been his slave."

By now they had entered the main room. It was dark and gloomy, lit only by bare light bulbs that hung from the ceiling over a set of computer desks and equipment, the round portal stage, and the glass container that held the Infamap. To keep the big, high powered computers and controllers from overheating, the place was cooled down by two large vent gates that poured in the cold, freezing air. Both Guardians' breaths formed puff clouds in front of them.

"No wonder you're so homesick and cranky," Mac was saying as they strolled in. "Half a century is a long time for a Guardian to be away from home. Usually our masters croak and die by then, you know? Here's your homework." Mac grabbed a disk off a computer desk nearby with his teeth and held it out for Takashi.

"Thanks," Takashi muttered. He took the device out of Mac's slobbery dog mouth and shook the thick drool off, disgusted. "You better hope it doesn't have water damage," he growled under his breath.

"What was that?" Mac asked. He raised an ear with question.

Takashi smiled widely, lying, "Nothing. I'm great."

"Good," Mac said with a nod. He transformed into a Caucasian, geeky looking teen complete with thick, taped together glasses and pocket protector in his flannel shirt. His belt came up too high and his shirt was tucked in. A mass of greasy red hair sat like a thick cap of curls on his head.

Takashi didn't understand the form. He had studied young human teens for years and had never seen any of them like kids that looked like Mac now. Why the Guardian preferred it so much baffled him. But then again, a lot of Guardians liked weird, different forms like this one.

As Takashi pressed the only button on the disk and read the glowing hologram's information Vlad had typed out for him and his mission that, Mac continued talking.

"As you can see," Mac said with the wave of his hand. His new voice was nasally and before puberty. "Theo isn't here to make sure you have a safe visit to the past or even a return trip. He might be the expert, but don't worry. I've watched him enough times to do this myself." He tapped his chin in thought before adding, "Although, your essence might sting after you get there. These travels don't do Guardians well."

"I've done this before, Mac," Takashi said. "I don't need a tutorial." He didn't take his dark eyes off his instructions that floated above the disk in his hands. This wasn't going to be a fun mission. That twist in his essence happened again. He didn't understand why.

Mac rolled his eyes at Takashi's superior attitude before asking casually, "Do you know what happened to Theo? I hear he's escaped...again."

Takashi smiled evilly before clicking off the disk and turning toward Mac. "Actually," he said, "Theo did escape. It was with the help of some friend from the past. A Danny Phantom I think. I'm not so sure. Ember and I captured them recently, but they had Zaramama with them and got away. Hear they are taking down gods and goddesses all over the place. Demeter was their most recent, if I remember correctly." Take that, Vlad's pride!

Mac's jaw had dropped in astonishment. He quickly got a handle on himself and gave Takashi an impressed look as he said, "I can't believe the cat boy got out and stayed out! And are you sure he's with this ghost kid, Phantom?"

"I'm pretty sure," Takashi said. "It is hard not to remember the kid from the Guardian Rights movement from so long ago."

"So the rumors are true!" Mac whispered giddily. "Danny Phantom is back to finish the job with Vlad Plasmius."

Takashi frowned. "It's just history repeating itself," he scoffed. "Every empire at its peak crumbles. It won't be any different from the others. You know this."

"Sure I do," Mac said, shrugging. He didn't look perturbed, though. "But if this empire is going to crumble soon, that means masters die, Guardians go free, and us two get to float around in the Ghost Zone in peace for a few decades. At least it let's me look forward to something."

What he said got Takashi thinking. "What if Vlad beats the ghost kid?" he mused out loud. "What happens to us?"

"Good question," Mac said. "We get squat, is what happens. Vlad is half ghost. He is going to live for a _long_ time. If Phantom doesn't kill him and wipe out his empire now, we Guardians are going to be employed for a few more centuries, I'm sure. Why do you ask?"

"I was just thinking out loud," Takashi said quickly. "Let's get the mission going already. I'm ready."

"Okay!" Mac said with a toothy grin. "Let's get the party started!" He pushed his swivel chair on wheels across the floor to another computer desk. He cracked his knuckles before starting to type on a keyboard at lighting pace.

As he readied the Infamap, Takashi positioned himself on the transfer pad in the middle of the room. He took his hands out of his pockets out of nervousness. For a brief moment he wished Theo was there. He always knew how to use the Infamap just right. He was always kind enough to adjust it specially for Guardians so they didn't feel as much pain. The thought of the demigod made Takashi sigh. He missed the group...and Zara.

The computers soon began to warm up. They hummed and vibrated with activity as they prepared for the time transfer. Takashi watched as the Infamap in its glass box began to hover in the air. White ghostly energy seeped out of its parchment bindings.

Below his feet, bright lights began to blast on. The rings of light on the portal/transfer pad one by one turned on and blinded the Guardian standing still in the middle. At the peak of noise and light, Takashi saw Mac give him a thumb up sign.

This was it.

In one final flash of light, a portal was ripped open above the Guardian. Takashi gritted his teeth, looking upward and into the green vortex before it pulled him in. The Guardian found himself rocketing through space and time through the Ghost Zone. White light blinded him, and the speed at which he traveled was almost too much.

What made the ride so unbearably painful was his essence's want for the Ghost Zone. It yearned to be back home and stay home. So while he sped through the Ghost Zone, part of his essence tried to stay behind while he was forced to move on. That was why all Infamap traveling was so hard on Guardians.

Then, right when Takashi thought he couldn't take any more, he landed. The Guardian shuddered as tingles of pain flowed up and down his essence. But he quickly ignored the throbbing and tried to figure out where and when he had landed.

It was just in time. Someone was rounding the corner.

-Sam-

Sam wondered why Danny hadn't answered any of her calls. She had left messages all night for him. Maybe he had taken his term paper seriously and didn't want to be bothered, but Sam knew her boyfriend enough to know he would never do that. Danny was easily distracted. That was why he needed her. She had already done her term paper.

"Hello?" Sam said loudly as she closed the door to the Fenton home behind her. It was their tradition to walk to school together now. Tucker would meet up with them at the school, but before school it was just their time alone. Tucker didn't mind. He hated being the third wheel anyways.

Sam found the living room clean and untouched. That was odd. She thought for sure with all his family away, Danny would make his mark on the home. He wasn't the most organized boy she had met to say the least.

"You here, Danny?" Sam called out. No answer. The house was forebodingly still and quiet. She didn't like this.

Sam ventured into the living room and left her purple spider backpack on the coffee table before moving on to the stairs. A white flash of light from the kitchen caught her attention, though. She changed her mind about the stairs and headed for the open arch way that lead into the kitchen.

"Danny?" she questioned his name with some hope wavering in her voice.

The moment she had entered the kitchen, a thick cloud of smoke surrounded and engulfed every one of her senses with a putrid sulfur smell. Sam stopped in her tracks, fear sparking down her spine. Then she saw them. Two cold and heartless red eyes opened in front of her. They stared at her for a moment with sinister intent.

"Where is Danny?" Sam questioned the eyes that lingered before her in the smoke. "What did you do to him?"

"Silence!" a chilling, booming voice echoed from all around as if it was part of the smoke itself. Sam stiffened at the sound, clamming up only because it told her to.

The eyes floated close to her, narrowing with speculation. Sam stood tall and brave although on the inside she was shaking like a leaf. This thing had to be a ghost. That meant it was dangerous. But what did it want with her? Did it want to get to Danny through her? The thought didn't bode well with the girl.

"What is your name, insignificant human?" the voice asked with contempt.

"I'm not in any way meaningless," Sam spat back. She knew she really shouldn't be arguing with this thing, but she felt compelled to do so.

"I asked for your name!" the voice bellowed, making Sam flinch. The smoke swirled chaotically around her in the voice's anger. It wrapped around her throat, and she found herself unable to breath. It was suffocating her!

"Your name! What is it?" the voice roared again.

Eyes wide in terror, Sam gasped with her last breath, "Sam. Sam Manson!"

The red eyes seemed to smile in sickening delight. The smoke let the girl's throat go. Coughing and gasping for air, Sam dropped to her hands and knees to recoup from her near death. She looked up just in time to see the eyes lunge toward her. A scream escaped her mouth before Sam blacked out.

A/N: As you can see, Guardians do tend to be more scary when they are allowed to be. I blame it on their evil ghost nature. ha ha! But, wow, I only have two more weeks of living in the United States. On the 31st, I'll be flying down to Peru! Boy, I'm excited! As usual, I'll be updating next weekend! See you guys there!


	20. Chapter 20 A Death Race

A/N: So much fun stuff in this chapter! I got to write a chariot race finally! I've been dying to write one in years! Ever since Ben-Hur! Never seen the movie? Maybe that's a good thing. It's like 5 hours long and boring until that one chariot scene. Oh well. I'll get on with the chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own everything except the Danny Phantom characters.

Chapter 20 A Death Race

When Sam first woke up, she found herself staring into the face of a Japanese boy. He looked maybe a year or two older than she was and quite handsome if she so dared to think, if you were attracted to Asians. His deep, dark eyes stared intently into hers as if out of pure curiosity. A smile twitched at the edge of his lips when he saw that she was awake.

"Sleep well?" he asked, a smile in his voice.

She screamed. It was a loud, panic induced scream that ripped through the air and made the boy wince in pain. Takashi wondered if he should have put a gag on her at first. This was why he hated kidnappings. They were uneventful and he always forgot the gag.

Sam looked down when she realized she couldn't move her hands or feet. She almost screamed again when she saw that she was bound to one of the wooden chairs in Danny's kitchen. She pulled against her rope binds but found them stubbornly knotted tightly. Her kidnapper was like the ultimate boy scout or something.

"Okay," Takashi said with irritation, "The next time you want to scream like that again, I'm putting on the gag."

Sam looked back up at the teen, heart racing in fear. He was crouching on the table next to her chair, leaning his lithe body toward her so that their faces were close. This alone alerted her to how nonhuman he was. He didn't have the normal mannerisms a human would have.

"What are you?" Sam asked boldly. She was glad that her voice didn't crack with the fear that rushed through her veins.

"Oh, I can tell that you're a smart one," Takashi said with a devilish smile. "You already figured out I'm not a human like you. I guess I should reward you and answer your question truthfully."

Sam didn't like that smile.

"I'm a Guardian," Takashi explained. "A ghost that belongs to the Ghost Zone and forced to work for the high powered beings from this world for all of eternity. My Master gave me orders to kidnap you and bring you back to him. So you aren't going anywhere in a long time. Get comfy."

"Why did your master give you orders to kidnap me?" Sam asked. "Who is he and what could he possibly want with me?"

"You and me both want to know the answer to that question," Takashi said. He leaned back on his haunches and waved a hand upward to indicate her as he said, "Look at you! You're merely a pathetic human! You are no threat to him and his empire. Maybe my master is just more paranoid than I calculated. Capturing random girls from the past for fun. Sounds like him, actually." There was that smile again.

"I'm not pathetic!" Sam barked at the Guardian. "Why do you keep insulting me like that? You act like you're so superior than me. Do you even realize this?"

Takashi smiled slightly as he sat down on the table indian style and observed her. "You're not like most humans I know," he said. "For one, you're brave. Such a romantic characteristic in this time period, don't you think?"

Sam didn't say anything but stared straight into Takashi's dark eyes. He stared right on back, never wavering. He found this staring game with the girl somewhat interesting. He wondered what was going through her head. Why wasn't she scared of him? Why was she constantly challenging him...even now with this stare?

"If you have to take me back to your master, then why are you talking to me now?" Sam asked slowly after Takashi had gotten bored and looked away. With this question, he looked back at her, expressionless.

"We have to travel through Ghost Zone portals," he said. "The portal I need doesn't come till tomorrow. We have to wait here till then."

"How do you know when this portal opens?" Sam asked. "Are you taking me into the future through the portal?"

Takashi's face darkened with these questions. She knew more about the Ghost Zone than he had anticipated. He needed to be careful here. He wasn't allowed to give out too much information. Those were Vlad's orders. Another weird twist to this whole kidnap. Usually he was free to do and say what he wanted.

"Enough of your questions," he said, his voice demanded it to be final. He leaned dangerously close to her while saying, "I have work to do. Tell me. Are you a cat person?" A moment later he was a long haired main coon cat. Sam gave a surprised gasp when he jumped into her lap and brushed his fluffy head against her chin.

"Or are you a dog person?" Takashi asked while leaping off Sam's lap, transformed in midair, and landed as a German Shepherd dog. Mac had inspired that form. He turned toward his captive with a raised ear in question.

"Cat person," Sam managed to croak out in total shock. How had he done that? She guessed it was because he was a ghost. It was still weird, though. She had only seen a few other ghosts who could do that kind of a quick transformation.

"Me too," Takashi said, going back to the cat form. "I'm going to check out the area and make sure its all secure. A lazy Guardian is a dead one, as my teacher used to say. It will only take five minutes. I want you here when I get back. Understand?"

Sam didn't respond. Takashi took this as a maybe. He flicked his overly puffy tail at her in suspicion before slinking out of the kitchen. Sam watched him go with a grim look on her face.

A moment later her brain clicked into overdrive. Her violet eyes scanned the kitchen desperately. She needed to escape. With the Guardian now gone, this might be her only chance. Her eyes rested on the drawer that she knew held the cutting knives. She had spent so much time in Danny's house that she knew where Maddie put everything for cooking.

Getting over to the drawer was easier said than done while being tied to a chair. Sam had to jump the chair to make it move. This action made her breathless. It was taking all her strength to move the cumbersome wood she had been bound to. But at last she was triumphant.

Using her teeth, Sam opened the drawer. She was just leaning her head in to grab one of the cleavers with her mouth, when suddenly her chair got jerked back to its two back legs. The girl let out a small gasp as she found herself pulled backwards and staring into Takashi's scowling face.

"You work fast, don't you?" he asked, voice dark. His face wasn't even an inch away from hers now. "Hear me now, human," he whispered threatening into her ear, "I have orders to severely punish you if you attempt escape or disobey me in any way. The next time I see you doing anything along these lines, I won't hesitate to uphold those orders. Do you understand? Answer me."

"Yeah," Sam whispered, nodding weakly.

"Good," the Guardian growled. He stood back up and dragged her seat by the back of it to its original place next to the table in the kitchen. Once he was done with her, Takashi sat down on the edge of a counter across from his captive. She avoided eye contact with him, either from fear or anger, he didn't know. He eyed her wearily. She was going to be more trouble than expected.

On the inside, Takashi smiled. This girl was interesting, almost like a puzzle designed for him to figure out. And the Guardian had always loved a challenge.

-Theo-

The hippodrome that spread out before him was all dirt and gritty sand. Little hazy mirages made from the steady heat from the sun wavered above the hot earth. The tall, cement walls that circled the center playing field had scars of blood and guts splattered across its course surface. The cheering and bloodthirsty crowd in the stands were screaming for some action as the chariots strolled out into the arena. Already Theo didn't like this. And the race hadn't even started yet.

Theo lifted his over sized metal helmet up with a palm to look up at Artemis. She was seated like a desert queen on a rock throne overlooking the most gruesome part of the wall. Lush, red pillows softened her seat, and two girls with palm leaves shaded her from the harsh rays of blazing sun light. Her eyes made contact with Theo's. She looked worried.

"Great," Theo whispered to himself. He had gotten into the habit of talking to himself when no one else was around. He scanned the hippodrome one more time. "Even the goddess watching this event is nervous for me. She was the one who put me in here."

Suddenly his helmet fell into his eyes. For the hundredth time, he shoved it upward and growled, "And couldn't she have given me a helmet that fit?"

"Hey, Tony, look at this scrawny one!" someone on his chariot beside Theo called to another guy on Theo's other side. Theo had to keep his hand on his helmet to look at the first speaker with a flare of indignation. He wasn't scrawny!

"Oh boy," Theo muttered when he saw rider. The man was huge! He was body builder, crush-you-with-one-finger, football-player-gone-out-of-control huge. Theo would have to wrap both his arms around the dude's arm to touch his hands together, he was that big. And he was as tall as a basketball player. He was like a giant!

Theo now knew why Artemis was worried for him. He was going to die!

"Yeah, Luca!" Tony laughed from Theo's other side. "This little guy isn't going to last long." Theo looked over to him and saw that Tony was of the same giant build as the first. What did Ares feed these guys? Steroids?

The first giant, Luca, leaned over into Theo's face and asked, "Are you even out of puberty, boy?"

"Did you even pass second grade?" Theo shot back, grinning wryly.

"Oh, this one has some spirit in him," Luca said with a dark chuckle. "It means his blood will make a bigger splash on the first turn."

"If he even makes it till then," Tony pointed out. Oh, that didn't sound good.

"Maybe he shouldn't even pass the starting line," Luca said menacingly. He threw his fist back and swung it at Theo. The demigod caught the beefy fist in both hands, threw it to the side, and swung his fist right into the man's exposed throat.

Nothing happened. Theo stood there, stunned. These guys must have had skin like steel or something, because that should have hurt. But Luca just looked angry now. Not good.

With one, basketball sized hand, Luca engulfed Theo's wrist before the young man could get away. He yanked Theo toward him and growled into his face. "I'm going to rip you apart," he said in a low rumble. Theo watched in fear as the guy grabbed the reins for the two horses up front and tied both his wrists together with them.

Not a moment after this happened, a piercing horn was blown. The sound echoed through the hippodrome. The crowd went wild with their cheers, the horses surged forward in the frenzy, and the race was on!

Theo found himself unable to move with the reins taut from the horses' pull on them. He was forced halfway over the front of his chariot and careening out of control. He needed to get back in the game, win it, and find Zara before Ares showed up. And hopefully they'd find Danny before he had to fight in the gladiator arena.

Glaring ahead with determination, Theo leaned his head down to the ropes binding his wrists and spat a ball of burning spit on the reins. The rope sizzled, and Theo was soon free. With one hand holding the reins and keeping the horses on track, Theo prepared himself for the first turn.

As predicted, he was the target on every giant's list that was near him. Tony rammed his chariot into Theo's, practically throwing the demigod off his feet. Teeth gritted, Theo kept his chariot steady with one hand on the reins. With his other, the half sphinx let his power flow through.

Flames sparked to life in his palm. Tony watched in horror as Theo placed his hand on one of the wooden boards that connected the horses' harness to the chariot box. It disintegrated in seconds. With a grunt, Theo lifted a leg above his chariot box and kicked Tony's aside.

The crowd gave up a cheer as Tony's chariot careened out of his control, flipped over, and the giant was trampled under the hooves and wheels of a chariot that had been right behind him. Theo grimaced at the horrific sight, inwardly feeling a deep pang of guilt. He had kind of caused the guy's injury or even death.

Somehow the fiery take down of Tony had kept the other chariot racers away from him in the deadly corners. Theo was left alone as the throng of chariots diminished dramatically with each turn. The other giants that were racing used any method to take out the others. Some had hidden weapons they used to hit the others off. Some targeted the horses.

By the time Theo was on his third lap of the track, the sand in the turns was thick and muddy with blood and one or two dead bodies. Theo focused only on the race. He needed to stay alive and win this race. If he didn't, he knew it would be all over right then and there. If you lost one of Ares' games, you were his slave. If you won, you were set free. At least that was what Artemis had told him.

Much to the demigod's dismay, one of the last few chariot racers had the same thoughts of winning and was just as desperate. The giant from before, Luca, pulled up right next to Theo's chariot with a long curved sword in hand. Theo's optimism dropped at the sight of the man's wicked grin. This wasn't going to turn out well.

"Say hey to my friend Tony in the afterlife, boy," Luca shouted at Theo. He pulled on ahead while lifting the sword high. Theo watched in alarm as Luca swung the sword right through one of the horses' legs as the animal galloped at full speed.

The horse gave a painful cry as it went down. The one beside it was pulled down by its partner's weight. The chariot box was flung over the fallen horses. As it did so, Theo sprung off the metal platform and high into the air. He had used the projection and momentum just right to land behind Luca in his chariot.

Luca spun around in surprise to see Theo there. He swore loudly, bringing up his gleaming curved sword for a swing. Theo rolled under the giant's legs as the man brought down the sword. With a battle yell, Theo struck out with a leg while still on the floor of the box. His heel connected with the back of man's knee. Luca came down with a grunt of discomfort.

"Hold still!" Luca roared in anger. As Theo tried to scramble away in such a confining place, the man caught him by the front of his shirt. He threw his fist back, aiming it for the demigod's head. Theo squeezed his eyes shut and prepared for the pain.

_CLANG!_

A loud scream of pain escaped the giant as his fist collided with Theo's helmet that had fell into his face at the last second. Theo saw stars from the punch, but he was in a lot better shape than he would if the oversized helmet hadn't helped him out. As Luca got over his throbbing knuckles, Theo reeled dizzyingly backwards, groaning.

The two got over their pains a moment later. Luca came for the half sphinx, but Theo was quicker. He jumped up to the narrow ledge of the chariot box and flipped right over the giant as he lunged, using Luca's head as a hand rest. A cheer erupted from the crowd. It was the ultimate showdown between finesse and brawn.

"Come here, you stupid monkey!" Luca bellowed. He lunged again for Theo. The demigod did a perfect cartwheel on the edge of the box to the other side. He stayed on his hands at the end. Before Luca could turn around, Theo pulled his legs in and tilted his body backwards a little before plowing both feet into the giant's muscly back. Luca gave an annoyed growl as he was almost shoved right over the box.

"I'm more like a cat, really," Theo said, flipping himself back to his feet. He balanced on the ledge with his narrowed eyes set on his opponent.

"I don't care. You're going down!" Luca spat at Theo. He wasn't the greatest at the threatening dialogue, obviously.

"Don't think so, dude," Theo said with a shake of his head, "I kind of have a world to save. Getting beat by a thick head like you isn't on my to-do list. So excuse me as I do this." He threw a fire punch at the giant in an attempt to knock the guy out of the box.

Luca blocked it by raising his sword just in time. With a battle roar, he swung it at the unsuspecting demigod. Theo reeled back to avoid the swing, but wasn't fast enough this time. The tip cleanly sliced through his shirt and skin on his chest. Theo grimaced in pain, but he was too keyed up to notice most of the wound.

A look of panic crossed Theo's face as Luca dropped the sword and came at him while the demigod was down for the second. He wasn't going to have enough time to defend himself. Luca wrapped his beefy hands around Theo's shoulders and tried to throw him off the chariot where it was open in the back. Theo used all his strength to pull the giant down with him. With screams of alarm, the two fell to the floor of the box, Luca on top of Theo.

Theo found himself precariously hanging over the open side of the chariot box. His shoulders skimmed the dirt ground that flew on by below. Above him, Luca found this to his advantage. Again he grabbed Theo by the shoulders and plowed him down into the hot earth.

His whole back burned as if it was on fire as Theo's shoulder blades were cruelly pushed down into the dirt and sand that scraped off skin as it zoomed on by. Theo let out a cry of pain. He bit down on it a second later, determined not to lose. He couldn't lose to this guy.

Theo stared Luca right in the eyes as he let his hands flow with his fire powers and placed them on the arms that held him down. Luca looked scared when he felt the first flash of hot, burning power. Theo shot the man a dark smirk as he built up the temperature. Things were going to get hot...fast.

Soon Luca was howling in pain as his arms literally burned under Theo's touch. "Get. Off," Theo said through the agony going on with his back which was still being scraped against the earth. Grunting with effort, Theo lifted both his feet up and placed them against Luca's stomach. With the last of Theo's stamina, he lifted the giant up and over his head.

A yelp escaped both adversaries as they were forced off the chariot. In desperation, Theo grabbed the edge of the chariot with one hand as he body slid off the box when he dumped Luca over his head. He gave a pained scream when Luca's hand gripped his foot and the demigod was almost yanked out of his hold on the ledge. He was now barely hanging onto the chariot by his fingers.

With legs burning from the giant's pull on them, Theo pulled Luca up, raised his free leg, and came down with a heel to the big guy's exposed head. With a final cry of defeat and pain, Luca let go and rolled into a crazy spin before coming to a stop.

Panting, Theo pulled himself up onto the chariot just as it finished its last lap and won the race. The demigod had no more strength left to even stop the horses. He plopped down in the box, wincing as his bloody back throbbed in agony. He took in greedy gasps for air as the crowd cheered for his win. He ignored the sounds.

When the horses finally stopped their wild run because they were too tired to carry on, Theo saw that he wasn't out of the woods just yet. Artemis herself and a group of her female warriors were coming for him. He might have won, but Ares had already made more plans for him.

"You have to come with us, Theo," Artemis told the demigod as her squad surrounded the chariot Theo had been resting on. "Ares has given us orders."

"But I won," Theo protested hopelessly, "You told me if I won, I was free to go. Those were the rules!"

"Restrain him," Artemis ordered her girls, ignoring Theo completely.

"No! Tell me what is going on!" Theo yelled at the goddess in anger. He jumped off the chariot to get to her. She turned around to leave. Before the demigod had taken two steps, he was tackled painfully to the ground by Artemis' warriors. They forcefully shoved his body into the hot earth as they handcuffed his hands behind his back before getting him to stand.

Ultimately defeated, Theo let Artemis and her crew dictate where he was supposed to go. The group led him out of the hippodrome and into a pathetically poor city made of mud and rock. Humans in rags roamed the streets searching for food and water. Most of the humans shied away from the goddess, but some of the woman were brave enough to silently watch her, her warriors, and Theo walk on by.

They didn't have to walk very far. Half a mile later, they had arrived at the gladiator arena. It reminded Theo of the ancient Roman's Coliseum. Well, Ares was never an innovative or original one, so Theo wasn't very surprised to see that the gladiator arena hadn't changed a bit from when he last saw one in Rome. Typical Ares.

There was an even bigger crowd at the arena than the hippodrome. Theo guessed there were bigger chances of blood here than at a chariot race. Also, these games were there for the humans to bet and gamble on. That was how they got money for their food...or didn't. At the gladiator games, there were more options for a bet for someone to win or lose or get a body part chopped off. The possibilities were endless. That was why a lot of people showed up here instead of the hippodrome.

Artemis emotionlessly walked through the open doors of the arena with her group behind her. Humans all ran out of her way, clearing a path for the goddess through the crowd. She commanded respect from everyone around. When she started up the stairs to get to the platform Ares sat on, everyone jumped off to get out of her way.

One of Artemis' warriors stayed at Theo's side. On the stairs, she leaned over and whispered into his ear, "Things aren't going well. I can't find Danny."

"Zara?" Theo whispered back in surprise. He tried to keep himself composed so as to not give the Guardian away. "Where's Melody?"

"She's safe, cat boy," she assured him quickly. "Not so sure about you, though. You look awful. Does this hurt?" She placed a hand on his scraped up shoulder and smiled evilly when he hissed in pain. "I'd take that as a yes."

"Danny is somewhere here in this arena," Theo said. "But don't worry about him right now. We have to get rid of Ares. Try to get close to him and get the amulet off without him knowing. Then you can get him with a thermos."

"What about ghost boy?" Zara asked. "He's in a worse shape here than you were in that crazy horse race."

"Those were orders, Zara," Theo told her seriously. They made eye contact. For the first time, Zara saw fear in the demigod's gaze. He was worried for the ghost kid. She didn't want to admit it, but she was too. But Theo knew what he was doing. He knew what they all had to do. Getting rid of Ares was priority.

"I understand," Zara said with a steady nod. Then softly she whispered, "Have faith in the kid. He'll pull through." She didn't know why said this. Maybe just to give her master some reassurance. He looked like he needed it.

"I know," Theo said with a weak smile.

They had arrived at the platform where Ares was. The god of war was seated on a big chair of lush red pillows. There wasn't a game going on in the arena, so his attention wasn't on anything else as Theo was forced to his knees before him. The demigod lowered his gaze, not brave enough to look the god in the eyes at the moment.

Ares laughed at the sight of Theo's bloodied form. He leaned forward in his cushy seat and asked his captive, "How was your race, Theo? Did you have fun destroying your opponents? Was the battle rush how you liked it?"

"I won," Theo snapped at Ares suddenly. He glared at the god now. "Why am I here? I thought the rules were that I was allowed to go if I won." At the worse of times, his helmet fell into his face, making him looking like an idiot. Ares laughed at the sight.

"Oh I wish I had been there to see you win with this get up, Theo," Ares laughed loudly. He was always loud. The god's sick enjoyment rung in Theo's ears under the helmet. He gasped when Ares lifted the helmet off his head and threw it carelessly to the side. The big god stood up and loomed over Theo's defenseless body.

"Why am I here?" Theo asked again. This time with less passion.

Ares yanked the young man up to his feet by his hair. He forced Theo over to the railing of his cement terrance that overlooked the empty gladiator pit. Patting Theo on his back, he said, "I've brought you here to see the fight of a life time. Your little friend is about to come out of those doors over there." He pointed to a set of iron barred doors.

Theo wearily watched as the doors swung open. Two forms were shoved out of the darkness and into the blinding light of the arena. Theo instantly recognized Danny as one of them. He was in human form, probably stuck that way. He looked okay physically, but Theo knew the kid was freaking out on the inside.

Then suddenly the other person caught the demigod's attention.

The other form was about Danny's height and wearing a long cloak that came to his waist. The hood was up to hide his face in shadows. Surprisingly, he observed the crowed with a hard, serious air about him. He wasn't afraid. A sword scabbard was slung around his shoulders and fitted to his back. It was the cloak guy Zara had warned them about!

This did not bode well. What made it worse was when Theo noticed that Danny and the cloak guy were handcuffed together. That was new. What was up with that?

"Wait," Theo said, "If they are handcuffed, then who are they going to fight?"

"Oh, this is only the first round," Ares explained to him with a wide, bloodthirsty grin. His heartless black eyes shone with evil delight. "There are three rounds to go through in this kind of game. It makes the killing more fun. Don't you agree?" Theo didn't say anything. His eyes were pinned on the handcuffed pair below. His stomach churned with apprehension for his friend.

A deep boom sounded as a gong was hit. Ares raised his arms and bellowed for all his people to hear, "Let the game begin! Today is the day Danny Phantom either **kills**...or **dies**!" The crowd exploded with cheering. The place was wild and chaotic for the sight of blood and death. Like a frenzy of piranas.

Theo stood by the god's side. He could do nothing but whisper, "Come on, kid. I didn't train you for nothing."

A/N: Next chapter I get to write a gladiator scene! I don't remember ever writing one, so I'm a bit excited, especially after reading Cordia's _The Pits_. She has written some awesome gladiator type fight scenes with that fan fiction.

Okay, so the next time I update, I'll be in Peru! I'm moving out of the States in less than a week now. My dad said the house does have Wi-Fi already, meaning I can use the Internet and update when I want to, but I can never be too sure...especially with my crappy luck. If it doesn't have Wi-Fi, sorry if the next chapter is delayed. But I believe things will go smoothly. See you readers next weekend!


	21. Chapter 21 Death of Innocence

A/N: Whew! My move was pretty hectic. I don't want to rant about it because I have a chapter to get out although it is so late. I'm so sorry for putting it out at such a strange time. My house doesn't have Wi-Fi after all, so I'm at Starbucks now trying to catch up with what I've missed this past weekend without Internet. Thank you so much for your reviews, guys! I'm sure you guys will like this chapter. Some interesting surprises are in it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All Danny Phantom characters do not belong to me! The rest, do not touch!

Chapter 21 Death of Innocence

The soccer ball bounced off the floor a few feet. With precise movements, Takashi caught it with his knee. Like a professional, he dribbled the ball off his knees. His dark eyes were focused on the balance and force he put into each move. Sometimes he kicked it up to his head and let it bounce off his forehead before returning it to his knees. Never did he lose control.

From her place tied to the chair, Sam watched the Guardian play with the soccer ball with curiosity. She noticed the small smile in his eyes as he dribbled. Did he always do this when he was bored? Twenty minutes ago he had just randomly morphed into a soccer uniform and made himself a ball. Since then he was dribbling up a storm.

"Where did you get so good?" Sam asked randomly.

"Helps that I've lived a few centuries," Takashi said with a grin. "You like football?" His eyes stayed on his ball, but the grin never left. He hadn't had the time to do this in years. He had almost forgotten how relaxing it was.

"In United States they call it soccer," Sam corrected him.

"I know," Takashi said, "But the rest of the world calls it football." He glanced over to his captive and flashed her a smirk.

"Yeah, I never got that," Sam said with the roll of her eyes. "Is USA really that pig headed that they have to change the name of soccer so their favorite violent sport can have the name football?"

"Kind of pathetic, isn't it?" Takashi said. He chuckled. He liked this human.

"Are you mocking me?" Sam asked him defensively.

"No," Takashi said, the smile fading quickly. "I thought you were profound, really. Kind of a cute characteristic in a human. I like it, is what I mean."

"Cute?" Sam said, confused.

Takashi pressed his lips together in thought. "I guess that's the wrong word to use," he said. He then glanced over to the girl sitting there watching him and smiled slightly before urging her, "But go ahead. Say something else. Talking is much better than silence. I'm sure you're bored out of your mind."

"I have to go to the bathroom," Sam said with full bluntness.

Takashi let the ball fall to the ground as he turned toward the girl. "Excuse me?" he asked.

"I gotta go pee," Sam said, cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Don't you Guardians know what going to the bathroom is?"

The Guardian frowned at the insult. "Of course I do," he snapped at her. "I just forgot how often humans have to relieve themselves. When you work for ghosts most of your life, you don't see much of this."

"Well, at this point I don't care," Sam said with a sheepish smile. "I just need a bathroom quick."

Takashi rolled his eyes with a sigh. Humans were so useless. He walked behind the chair she was tied to and undid the knots keeping her there. She stood up as soon was she was able to. Takashi held tightly onto her shoulder as he lead her out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and into the bathroom there on the second floor of Danny's house. It was the standard bathroom with a tub/shower, toilet, and sink.

When they got there he let her go and waited for her to do what she had told him she needed to do. "What are you doing?" Sam asked him when she saw that the Japanese boy wasn't leaving.

"I thought you said you needed to go to the bathroom," Takashi said with a frown.

"Yeah, but not with you watching me!" Sam said in horror. "That would just be sick! Go stand by the door outside."

"For all I know," Takashi argued, "You'll try to escape while I'm not looking."

"I need privacy!" Sam yelled into Takashi's face. The Guardian stared wide eyed at the human in shock. He took a step back when she screamed at him, "GO!"

"Calm down, calm down!" Takashi hushed her. Where had that gag gone to? "I'll go, okay?" he said to quell the furious human girl looking like she was going to eat his head off. He left the bathroom and shut the door behind him while growling under his breath, "I _hate_ humans!"

Sam quickly did what she had needed to do. When she was finished, the girl kept her eyes on the door while turning on the water at the sink full blast. The noise was just enough cover for her plan. With quiet footsteps, Sam backed up to the small window there.

Breathing heavily in the exhilarating sensation of escape, Sam managed to get the window open. She was just small enough to crawl through. Leaning out and over the sill, she saw the cement floor of the alley two stories below. To her right was a gutter pipe that looked climbable.

"Perfect," Sam whispered to herself, expressing a sly smile.

Meanwhile, Takashi was waiting for the human to finish outside the room. He was leaning against the wall and trying to remember how long it took a human to go and if boys and girls were different in timing. After a few minutes, he knew something was wrong, though. It shouldn't take this long.

Knocking loudly, Takashi yelled into the room through the door, "Sam? You finished? Answer me!"

No answer.

Swearing in Japanese, Takashi brought his leg up and kicked the door right off its hinges with his ghost strength. He leapt into the room in full alert mode. He took in the running faucet with a quick glance. Smart. His eyes searched the rest of the room in an instant. They settled on the open window bringing in a warm breeze from the early spring day outside.

Takashi crossed the room in a flash. He threw his head out of the window and saw that it was just big enough for Sam to fit through. But she wouldn't have made the two story jump without hurting herself. A look to his right solved that problem. A gutter pipe was right beside the window. Sam was small and light weighted enough to use it.

"Jeez, she's quick!" Takashi growled in frustration. He left the window. She couldn't have gotten too far. In no time he'd have her back. Humans were pretty defenseless. They could run all they wanted, but once they were found, it was all too easy for a Guardian to take over.

What bothered the Guardian as he crossed the room was the fact that she knew how powerful he was. He had thought that she was smart enough not to just run away without a plan of some kind. Maybe she was just desperate. But that didn't explain the two minute speedy escape down the gutter. Unless...

Takashi stopped in the empty doorframe in thought. He turned around and walked back toward the window but turned toward the shower/tub instead. The shower curtain of cheesy rubber ducks and bubbles was drawn across, preventing sight into the bathtub. Takashi scowled darkly before raising his hand and throwing the plastic drape away.

Sam sat in the middle of the tub with her knees tucked close to her body. She looked crestfallenly hopeless in her exposed state in front of Takashi. The Guardian noticed the hint of fear in those eyes. So she _was_ scared of him.

"I admire your brains, girl, but I'm not amused," Takashi growled down at her.

Without warning, Takashi lunged forward. Before Sam's brain could register that the Guardian had even moved, Takashi had her arm in a vice grip. He forced her to her feet a second later, spun her around, and shoved her body against the wall of the shower with her arm pinned painfully behind her back. Face smashed against the grimy wall, Sam hissed in pain. Takashi didn't let up.

"You were foolish to try and escape from a Guardian," Takashi growled into Sam's ear from behind. "It's close to impossible. What would you have done if you really had gotten free? Where would you go? I would have located you in twenty minutes tops. You humans never think ahead."

"So what?" Sam spat back. "I've been through enough troubles to know that being kidnapped by a ghost is never a good thing. I'd have thought of something. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"No!" Takashi yelled harshly into Sam's face. She flinched in fear. "You do not know what Guardians are capable of! You do not know the bonds we have with our masters. I told you that I had orders to punish you for an escape attempt. I _have_ to obey. You do _not_ understand."

Sam didn't say anything. She only stared sideways at her kidnapper. She had caught the underlining pain in his voice. He wasn't enjoying this? This whole time she thought he was having fun with her. But that look in his eyes now told her otherwise. He didn't want to hurt her, but somehow he had to. In that instant, Sam started having second thoughts about the character of her kidnapper.

Those thoughts didn't last long when Takashi pulled her away from the wall suddenly. He dragged her out of the tub with little gentleness. Sam tried to pull herself away, but he only grabbed her other arm as he strove over to the still running sink.

Face cold and impassive, Takashi lifted the plug behind the faucet. The sink quickly filled up with water. Takashi brought Sam up to the sink, gripped both her wrists with one hand, and used the other to dunk her head into the water filled sink. She squirmed desperately under him. The Guardian held her firm.

After a few seconds of keeping her under, Takashi lifted Sam's head back up. She gasped for air and sputtered out wads of water. She shook with fear in his tight grip. Their eyes met in the mirror in front of them. Takashi knew that look. He could dunk her a million times and he'd never erase it from Sam's face. She was scared, but she wasn't beaten. The spirit in her would never die.

"Go dry yourself off," Takashi ordered her. He released her wrists and stepped away. Surprised by this, Sam turned around to face him. She had believed that the punishment was going to be rougher than that. Takashi didn't let her say anything. He barked at her, "Go!"

"Okay, okay," Sam muttered as she darted off to a closet in the bathroom where the towels were kept. She picked up one and began to dry off her face and hair with it. As she did this, she gave small glances over to the Japanese boy staring straight at her.

Suddenly Takashi stiffened. Sam tried asking him what was the matter, but he cut her off by forcing her back into the wall and covered her mouth with a hand. He glared at her when she struggled under him. After a moment, Sam complied and stayed perfectly still. That was when she heard it. Someone was knocking on the door downstairs.

"What does he want?" Takashi whispered to Sam.

"Who is it?" Sam asked Takashi when he moved his hand away. "I can't tell who it is."

Before Takashi could answer her, the door downstairs was opened. Takashi swore under his breath. He had locked it. Whoever was there had a key or at least knew where the spare one was. This wasn't good. Takashi had strict orders not to get caught. Why did this have to be so difficult?

"Danny? Sam? Are you guys here?" Tucker called loudly into the house.

Takashi froze. Did he just say _Danny_? As in _Danny Phantom_? It all made sense now to the Guardian, why all the complicated rules from Vlad and the kidnap of Sam Manson. She was connected to Danny. She was his girlfriend! Vlad was going to use her to get to the ghost boy. Why hadn't he seen it before? It had been so obvious!

"How could I be so stupid?" Takashi hissed angrily.

Morphing quickly, Takashi switched from a Japanese boy to Danny Fenton right before Sam's eyes. He looked up at the girl and smiled like he'd seen Danny do so many times before. For a second he was glad he had stayed so long with the kid. He knew all his mannerisms by now. He was an easy one to mimic.

"Danny?" Sam whispered, voice wavering. "How did you do that?"

"No time to explain, Sam," Takashi told the girl. He gave his new face a grin as he said to his stunned captive, "But we have some acting to do. Remember, act normal and let me do all the talking."

"What?" Sam asked, alarmed by this news.

They had no time. Tucker had heard them from downstairs and had traveled up the stairs. Just as he was rounding the doorway, Takashi sighed before pressing his lips to Sam's in a quick kiss. Sam was too surprised to react. The Guardian just looked and acted too much like Danny. This was hard to resist.

On the inside, Takashi was mentally kicking himself for this. This was the most idiotic plan he had ever thought of. Oh, and the awkwardness after the kiss! It was going to be miserable. Zara had better not find out about this. Would she have understood the circumstances if she did hear word of his actions?

Pulling away, Takashi smiled slightly. Of course Zara would understand. She would have created this kind of a harebrained plan in a heartbeat. She was crazy like that. He loved that about her. Never a dull moment with Zaramama around.

"Oh, sorry guys!" Tucker said from the door way. He had his eyes covered and was chuckling slightly. Sam and Takashi looked at him, the Guardian in mock surprise. Sam was just trying to get over Takashi's sudden kiss. Had that just been a fake-out make-out? If so, then where the heck was her real boyfriend?

-Danny-

"Calm down," his partner told him with a jerk of the handcuffs. "The last thing we need is for you to hyperventilate before the game even starts."

"Incase you haven't noticed, dude," Danny snapped back at the mysterious Cloak Guy, "We're in some barbaric gladiator pit, I'm defenseless without my powers, I'm handcuffed to someone who wants to kill me, and I'm supposed to kill someone or die! This is a perfect time to panic!"

The two were in the middle of the pit. The crowd roared from all around them. The sun burned down upon their heads and the grimy sand moist with the blood that had been spilled all day with each passing game. And still the Cloak Guy didn't put down his hood. He stood stoically beside the freaking out ghost boy, watching him with his shadow hidden eyes.

"I know this is scary, but you have to pull yourself together," the Cloak Guy told Danny. "Because if you don't, I'm pretty sure we're going to get killed soon. I don't know about you, but I'd like to live."

"Why?" Danny asked sarcastically, "So you can kill me at the end?"

Cloak Guy didn't answer. He looked away with his own thoughts. Danny shook his head in frustrating fear and confusion. His eyes glanced over the crowd. They stopped when he spotted Theo by Ares' side. They made eye contact. The demigod was worried. He only showed it in his eyes, but it was there all the same.

"Hey, do you know that kid?" Cloak Guy asked Danny. He yanked on the handcuffs to get the boy's attention. Danny glared at him before looking to where he was pointing into the crowd.

"Melody!" Danny barely breathed in surprise. She was standing on her front row seat and waving excitedly at the stunned ghost boy in the pit. Bob was floating nervously by her side, the complete opposite in mood wise. While Melody was oblivious to what was to happen, Bob knew exactly what was going on.

"She shouldn't be here," Cloak Guy said with a heavy sigh. "This is no place for a kid."

"Wait," Danny said with a tremor of fear in his voice, "Where is Zara?" His eyes scored the crowd for sight of her. But he found no sign of the Guardian. What if something had happened to her?

"Uh, stop yanking me around," Cloak Guy said, pulling Danny toward him with a sharp jerk of the handcuffs. "And your Guardian is fine," he said. "She's probably hiding her form for a good reason. She or Theo has a plan, I'm sure. Whoever has one, it is your job to distract this crowd and Ares. Now get with the program so we can survive this. Let's give these people a show."

"How do you know so much about us?" Danny asked Cloak Guy.

A piercing horn blasted a long, loud sound into the air. Both boys stiffened in response. Three iron gates around the arena were opened and three very angry and hungry lionesses were prodded out of their dark homes and into the light. Something was thrown into the pits from above. Danny jumped in surprise when it landed a few feet away from him.

It was a sword.

"Looks like someone is looking out for you," Cloak Guy chuckled. "Get it!"

Danny lunged for the weapon. He tested the weight in his hand. It was crudely made, but sturdy enough for him to use. Thankfully, he had his right hand free. Cloak Guy figured out that he had the short end of the stick when he drew his own sword from his back with his left hand.

"Great," he grumbled sarcastically. "I'm not left handed. You're going to have to do most of the slashing, Danny."

"Slashing?" Danny asked. "I'm not great at slashing at lions."

"Then lets switch places," Cloak Guy snapped back.

"Good point," Danny muttered.

By now the lions had gotten used to the bright light and had spotted their meal in the center of the pit. Slowly, as if playing a game of cat and mouse, the three lions slunk toward their prey with ravaging black eyes. Cloak Guy pressed his back up against Danny's so as to keep all the lions in their sights.

"Stay with me," Cloak Guy told Danny. "We can't afford stumbling around with these stupid handcuffs on. Someone has to be in control." The lions were real close now. They were maybe two yards away and circling the two with low growls of hunger.

"Then go for it, dude," Danny said with a nod. "'Cause we don't have time!" A lion pounced for Danny. Cloak Guy pulled his partner backwards to give the teen some room to defend himself. Danny swung his sword in a downward arc, slicing into the lion's shoulder. It roared in pain and backed away as Danny swiped his sword at it again.

"You still alive?" Cloak Guy asked.

"I think so," Danny answered breathlessly.

"Good," Cloak Guy said. "Here they come again. Back me up."

Another lioness shot forward and for Cloak Guy. Awkward with his sword in the wrong hand, the guy tried the best he could to defend himself. A second lion lunged for the exposed young man after the first attacked. Danny saw this and sharply yanked his partner one way, stepping into the path of the second lion and raising his sword.

With a battle yell, Danny stabbed the attacking lion in the chest as it pounced for him. The momentum of the animal's leap and Danny's thrust made the sword come out the other end of the deadly wound. The lion gave one last pained and pathetic roar before dying before Danny's wide eyes.

The crowd broke out into a loud, wild cheer that echoed into Danny's ears. Feeling sick to his stomach, Danny had to shove the dead animal off his sword with a foot. Blood stained the lioness, sand, and sword. At the gruesome sight, the crowd went crazy. It almost overwhelmed the teen.

"Ignore them!" Cloak Guy yelled at Danny. "Concentrate on what you're doing, Danny!"

"Right," Danny said wearily with a nod. He gripped his sword tight in one hand and looked up at the two lionesses still circling them. His partner was right. He had to focus on the here and now or they weren't going to make it very far.

"This way!" Cloak Guy ordered. He surged for a lion with Danny by his side. They would get no where on defense. It was time for some old fashion offense.

Cloak Guy was quick and powerful in the use of his sword. Even with his left hand disability, he still managed to slice through the cat's neck with a single swift swipe of his blade. The lioness had little to no time to react to the strike. It died an instant later with a spill of blood from its open neck. Again, the crowd roared in sick enjoyment.

While Cloak Guy had killed the second lion, Danny had problems with the third. It had attacked him while Danny was distracted. He backed up but forgot Cloak Guy was standing there and slammed into his back. With shouts of alarm, the two went down to their butts.

The lion ran at its fallen prey with a growl of anticipation. Danny sat up to see it attack. Fueled with fear, the boy realized at that moment that he had lost his sword in the fall. Just as the lion pounced, Cloak Guy rolled in front of its ghost boy target and produced his sword. The lion was thrust into it's long blade and then onto both of the boys as it died.

Under Cloak Guy who had just saved his life, Danny was a bit flustered as he whispered in astonishment, "Whoa!"

"That was _not_ enjoyable," Cloak Guy grumbled as he heaved the heavy dead animal off him and Danny and to the side. He stood up and helped Danny to his feet with a strong hand. "You okay?" he asked.

"I think I'm good," Danny said quietly. He bent down to get his dropped sword while looking sadly at the dead lionesses scattered around the arena. Through the confusion of wild screams from the crowd, Danny heard Cloak Guy sigh heavily. He was staring at the lions too. Danny wondered what he was thinking.

The horn sounded two times to indicate the second round of three was starting. Just as the echoing finished, the ground under the two gladiators began to shake violently. Crying out, Danny almost went down. Cloak Guy grabbed his arm to keep him from falling.

"Oh jeez! The floor is opening up!" Cloak Guy yelled at Danny above the rumble of the moving earth and the cheering crowd.

"This is crazy!" Danny screamed in disbelief. He watched as a round opening was created in the center of the arena. It slowly began to open up. The earth under them was being pulled into the the wall. The old floor was quickly being replaced with another beneath it.

"Tell me about it!" Cloak Guy shouted back. "Ares is like the _king_ of loony land!"

As one, the two jumped off the old platform and down onto another that was rising up. Instead of sand, the floor was metal grating. A few tall, metal boxes were randomly placed throughout the new arena. The two looked below to see a bubbling and hissing clear liquid boiling a few inches under their feet. The hot steam streamed up into their faces. They didn't need to be told that the liquid was hot enough to burn. They could feel the danger on their own.

"What now?" Danny asked. Cloak Guy shrugged.

To answer the boy's question, three more iron doors opened around the arena. Three huge men wielding long, curved swords stepped out of the shadows that hid them. They were all strong and muscular. Each had a mask that covered their face and some battle armor to cover their bare chests.

"I-I don't think I'm prepared for this," Danny told Cloak Guy as they slowly backed up to the center of the arena. "I don't _kill_ people!"

"I'm sorry, Danny, but I can't defeat all these guys myself," Cloak Guy said. "You have to help me if we want to survive. Focus on what you're doing. What is priority right now? For both of us, it is to live."

"Don't make me do this," Danny pleaded with the shake of his head.

"Danny, you're going to have to do a lot of things in life that you don't want to do!" Cloak Guy shouted into the boy's face. "I can't make you do anything at this point, but if it comes down to it, promise me you won't fail to do what you have to! Promise me!"

"Okay! I promise!" Danny said.

"Follow me!" Cloak Guy barked a second later. He didn't want Danny and him to get surrounded in the middle of the arena. He took off with Danny behind him toward one of the gladiators. "Stay with me!" he ordered Danny as they quickly approached their first target.

The masked gladiator took a swing for Cloak Guy as the figure got close enough. Deftly, Cloak Guy stepped to the side and pulled Danny right beside him. With quick strokes of his blade, Cloak Guy had cut the Achilles tendon on both the man's heels as he ran through the man's legs. A painful cry was muffled against the mask as the man feel to his knees in agony.

A faint chime dinged a few times in a warning. Cloak Guy and Danny skidded to a stop at the noise, trying to figure out what it was for. They soon got their answer when the floor under them began to burn more than usual. One quick look down told them what their problem was. The grating was lowing into the burning pit of liquid.

"The boxes!" Danny shouted.

Cloak Guy already had that idea and was yanking Danny toward the nearest one. The metal grating heated their feet as they rushed desperately for a box. Cloak Guy used his free right hand to grab the edge of a box and easily swung the rest of his body to the top. He spun around and pulled Danny up beside him. The boy smiled his thanks.

"Man, this stuff is hot!" Danny hissed. They watched as the bubbling liquid came half way up the box's side. Danny noticed how only two other gladiators were standing on other boxes. The third had been burned to death by the liquid. It was sad thought.

"Let's stay up on this box," Cloak Guy said.

"Yeah, higher ground and all," Danny said, remembering his training with Theo. You always had the advantage over an opponent in a sword fight if you had the higher ground.

After a moment, the liquid began to lower until it was back to its place a few feet below the grating. The two remaining gladiators jumped off their boxes and rushed toward the one Cloak Guy and Danny stood on. Danny watched them come, ready for a fight. The memory of Theo's training had all come back. He threw the pictures and sounds of the crowd out of his head and focused only on what was inside the arena. He could do this.

The first gladiator jumped up onto their box. With a sharp kick, Danny's heel plowed into the man's chest and sent him falling backwards. Behind him, Cloak Guy was expertly swinging his sword at the other gladiator to keep him off the box. As the chance arose, Cloak Guy pinned the gladiator's sword down with his own over it and a firm heel to keep both blades in place.

Meanwhile, the first gladiator had gotten up onto the box and was fighting Danny. The teen found himself outweighed by the man. He had to perry most of the time and ducked all powerful swings. Being handcuffed didn't help fighting matters either. There was little balance.

Cloak Guy found out the gladiators had the upper hand with their strength a second later. His gladiator with the stuck sword suddenly heaved upward with his hilt, throwing Cloak Guy off balance. He was forced backwards and into Danny. The two went down just as Danny's gladiator had swung downwards.

A painful cry escaped Cloak Guy as the tip of the gladiator's blade cut right through his side. The chimes rung a second time. Cloak Guy dropped his sword, pushed himself to the edge of the box, and kicked the gladiator that was climbing up it in the face and off the box and into the burning liquid. Mission accomplished, the mysterious guy laid back down on the box and gripped his bloody wound with his now free left hand.

As Cloak Guy took out his gladiator, Danny tried to do the same with his own. After his partner had gotten injured, Danny had found himself stuck to the ground. Cloak Guy was in no condition to get up and stand. To make matters worse, Danny's sword had been lost again. It was burning in the liquid that sizzled ominously below.

As a last resort, Danny turned to combat training he learned from Theo. He crouched low to the ground as the last gladiator raised his sword for a downward swing. With a leg outstretched, Danny spun it under the man's feet. With an alarmed yelp, the gladiator fell heavily onto his back, his head connecting with the hard surface first. He didn't get up right away.

"You okay?" Danny asked his partner, turning toward Cloak Guy. The guy was trying to get to his feet and had stopped on his hands and knees. Sweat dripped off his chin that stuck out of the shadows of his hood. He was grimacing in pain. Danny saw why a moment later. His wound was caked with hot, fresh blood. "Oh, this isn't good!" Danny said.

Cloak Guy looked up at his concerned partner a moment later. A shadow engulfed the boy's own small one. He sensed the attacker just as Cloak Guy gasped, "Watch out!"

Pure instinct. No thoughts of morals or ethics. Only survival and protection.

Danny grabbed Cloak Guy's dropped sword. It unexpectedly fit perfectly in his hand. A battle yell roared out of his throat as he spun around with a thrust. In his crouched position, Danny had found an opening without even trying. A stinging sensation exploded in his shoulder that held the sword, but he was already committed. It was too late to pull back on the blade now.

With eyes wide with horror, Danny watched his blade pierce through the gladiator's armor and plunge into his stomach. The man coughed a wretched cry of pain before dying under the boy's shaking hands. Mortified, Danny let his sword go and backed away from the dead body. Tears sprung to his eyes. He had to gasp for air. The cheer of the crowd swarmed from all around. What had he just done?

"No," Danny said with voice filled with emotion and pain. All he could do was stare at the human he had killed. He had killed! Of course it had not been on purpose, instinctive, and for protection, but that didn't change the fact that he had _murdered_ someone.

The horn sounded three times. The third round was on its way. The floor didn't shake below, but the air changed from above. A hazy green transparent ghost shield created a dome over the arena. Danny watched it form with a crestfallen expression. It was meant to keep ghosts in. Did that mean they now had to fight a ghost?

He was correct.

With a click, the handcuffs that held the partners together unlocked and fell to the floor of the box between a distressed Danny and a wounded Cloak Guy. They both looked up at each other in silence. That handcuff that been keeping Danny's powers at bay. What had it been doing for Cloak Guy?

Gasping through his pain, Cloak Guy got to his feet with a hand pressed over his still bleeding wound. With difficulty, he bent down and picked up his blood stained sword that Danny had dropped.

Danny was too stunned from the kill and overwhelmed by the roaring crowd to move. It was like his fear had shut down all his systems. His body refused to move, to react. Just two minutes ago he had killed someone because of his body's instinctual signals. Now it was rejecting all logic and inborn flight or flight responses. His mind and body had quit on him.

Cloak Guy stood up tall with his weapon in hand. Danny was on his butt, leaning back with the use of his hands. He stared into the shadows of the mysterious man's hood, silent and scared beyond all reason. His heart thumped wildly against his chest when Cloak Guy lowered his sword down so it rested lightly under the teen's exposed chin.

"You're a ghost?" Danny whispered.

"You could say that," Cloak Guy said emotionlessly.

"Why are you here?" Danny asked. His voice pleaded for answers.

Cloak Guy paused before digging the tip of his blade deeper into Danny's throat. Danny leaned back some more, flinching at the thought of his death. Cloak Guy leaned down so that their faces were closer. A shiver ran down Danny's spine, but he didn't back down. He was going to stare death down till the end.

"I'm here for you, Danny," Cloak Guy said, a smile in his voice.

Then all chaos broke loose.

A/N: Yeah, I kinda left it at a mysterious cliffhanger, but I'm having too much fun. But Cloak Guy is a weird one, isn't he? And Danny killing someone was a big leap, I know, but in this fic it had to be done. You'll see why. Now I'm saying too much.

So, without Internet at home, I have no idea when I'll update next. I'll be writing a lot for you guys, but updating is going to be something I throw up into the air these next few weeks if I can't have a constant Internet connection. I'll see you guys some time later, no idea when. Hopefully soon. Yeah, hopefully.


	22. Chapter 22 Common Ground

A/N: Guys, I am so sorry I didn't update last week. I tried, I did, but I just had some writers block and I just didn't have the time with this no Internet business. So, I'm extra sorry for the delay this week as well. As soon as the Internet is up at my house, my schedule will be back to the old one, but till then, it will be hectic. To make up for it, this chapter is a bit on the long side. Enjoy it and thanks for the awesome reviews!

Disclaimer: Don't own any Danny Phantom characters.

Chapter 22 Common Ground

"What are you doing here, Tuck?" Sam asked her friend. Without wanting it to, her voice wavered with emotion. She glanced over at the form of Danny and gulped when she saw him shoot a glare at her. She had better get her act together, or this was going to get messy real fast.

Sam wasn't oblivious as to what was going on. She might have been stunned by Takashi's quick change of form and random kiss, but she still had her head together despite the chaos. Sam knew if Tucker somehow found out that Danny wasn't Danny and she was with him against her own will that Takashi wouldn't allow her friend to leave safely. He'd either hurt Tucker or kill him. She couldn't allow that.

"You two skipped school," Tucker was answering her question. He grinned slyly at the pair before him as he said, "At first I thought something was wrong, but obviously you two had a different idea of how to play hooky."

Takashi forced a laugh and blushed. He didn't have to pretend much of the second. He always blushed when he was nervous. To stay true to his character, he scratched the back of his neck and looked upward. He'd seen Danny do it millions of times while under pressure.

Sam hated the fact that her cheeks were the same shade as Takashi's. She narrowed her eyes on Tucker and tried to sound angry as she said in a rush, "Well, you've seen enough. Go back to school, Tucker."

"Hey, I'm skipping lunch right now, Sam," Tucker protested. "I need nourishment, STAT."

Wow. So this was Danny's friend? Takashi had no idea why. Humans could be so weird in their friend choices. Danny was sure to be one of them.

"Then go back to school and eat lunch there," Sam said sternly. She wanted him out of the house as soon as possible. The longer he stayed, the more he'd get suspicious. She couldn't be Takashi's little puppet forever.

"Oh, come on, Sam," Takashi said, "Let the guy at least pick up something from the kitchen before he leaves." Sam gave him a strange look. What was the Guardian doing?

"That sounds great, man," Tucker said with a grin.

Takashi suddenly grabbed her wrist and ran past Tucker while telling him, "Sam and I will go make you some sandwiches or something! It will only take a sec!" Sam let out an alarmed yelp as Takashi quickly dragged her down the stairs and into the kitchen. A stunned Tucker watched them go and slowly followed after his friends in wonder.

The kitchen was the same as they left it. The chair Sam had been tied to still had its rope coiled around it. Working furiously, Takashi picked up the rope, opened a random cabinet, and shoved it inside. His blue eyes caught Sam's as he prepared the kitchen for Tucker and she stood off to the side. She needed encouragement.

"You're doing great," he whispered to her as he handed a peanut butter jar to her. "Now let's give this guy his meal and get him out the door. The sooner the better. Don't let him suspect a thing. Okay?"

"Okay," Sam whispered shakily back. She nodded, which made Takashi nod too. He shot her a smile before racing over to the fridge to get the jelly for the sandwich. At about that time, Tucker was walking briskly into the kitchen looking confused and hungry.

"Are you okay, Sam?" Tucker asked the girl when he saw her concerned face look up at him from the sandwich she was making.

"I'm fine," she lied with a quick, pretend smile. She looked back down at the sandwich after glancing over to her kidnapper in Danny's form. Just the way he moved and looked at her reminded her of her missing boyfriend. It was hard to believe that Takashi wasn't the real Danny.

Sloppily, Takashi slapped the jelly onto the bread before handing the piece over to Sam. He stood close to her, their arms constantly brushing against each other. The Guardian looked up at Tucker and asked, "How much time to you have to get back to school, Tuck?"

"About five or ten minutes," Tucker answered, "So hurry it up, man. I'm starving, here."

"You want a PB&J or not, dude?" Takashi asked him flatly.

"Yeah, we're not your servants," Sam pipped up. She pointed her knife with peanut butter on it at him with a frown. Takashi admired the girl's spirit. She was staying true to character. She knew exactly what would happen if she didn't comply with him. Maybe that threat was productive after all.

Takashi and Sam made Tucker about three sandwiches for his lunch. Tucker talked about what was going on in school and that Lancer was expecting Danny's term paper the day he got back. Takashi went with the flow, easily picking up where the ghost boy had left off. He'd done this for years being a Guardian. Like many of his kind, Takashi thought the mimicry more like a challenge or game.

In the end, half the sandwiches were devoured by Tucker. The rest was shoved into a paper bag. Becoming restless for good reasons, Sam started pushing Tucker toward the front door. Takashi opened the door for her, not able to keep a smirk off his lips when he made eye contact with the girl. She shot a glare back at him.

Still talking, Tucker was shoved out of the house. Takashi and Sam smiled and waved at him before the Guardian slammed the door in the friend's face. He leaned forward while morphing back into his preferred form. Sam watched as he locked the door behind Tucker and glanced up at her expressionlessly.

"How do you know Danny?" Sam asked him, voice dark. Her eyes were narrowed into angry slits. If he had done anything to hurt him, she was going to destroy this ghost if it was the last thing she did.

"Long story," Takashi answered her threatening question. His lips formed a frown when he saw that he hadn't deterred her at all. Her glaring eyes stayed on him as he latched onto her arm and began to lead her back to the kitchen to tie her up.

Sam dug in her heels and pulled back on her arm. Takashi stopped in the middle of the living room with his hand still gripping his captive around the arm. He didn't meet her eyes. He didn't know why. Maybe he just didn't want to see the pain in those violet eyes of hers.

Those eyes reminded him too much of Zara's when she didn't think anyone was watching her and stared up at a sky at night. There was an emotional strength in her eyes when she did this. A look of determination for something unknown. It was like all her courage and vulnerability was laid out in that one gaze. Sam's eyes had this wonderful quality as well. No wonder the ghost boy loved her so much.

"No," Sam said firmly. "You are going to tell me what you did to Danny."

"I didn't do anything to him," Takashi said quietly, still looking at the floor.

"Then where is he?" Sam asked the Guardian. "Please! Tell me!" Desperation was in her voice. She wrapped her slim fingers around his wrist while drawing near the stone still Takashi who refused to look at her as he mused over the pros and cons of disobeying Vlad Plasmius again.

"He's in the future," Takashi said emotionlessly. His voice was barely above a whisper.

"The future?" Sam asked in surprise. "Why? When?"

"I...I _can't_ tell you," Takashi answered with a grimace. The fear of Plasmius was winning the battle inside of him. It was stupid to go against a master. What was he thinking? Why would he ever disobey the powers of Vlad? That was foolish and suicidal! Why was he even pondering the dangerous idea?

"Why can't you tell me?" Sam wanted to know with urgency. She wanted Danny safe and sound, but it didn't seem possible by the way the Guardian was behaving. The only thing she could do was try and get it out of the ghost. Why wouldn't he just answer her simple questions?

"I am bound by my master," Takashi said. A bitterness underlined his words as he added, "You humans will _never_ understand."

"I'm sorry," Sam said with unexpected softness.

With these words, Takashi lifted his head to meet Sam's eyes. No, she didn't understand the pain he and his fellow Guardians went through each day as slaves on earth. She knew she didn't know. But something about the empathetic look in her eyes was different from all the other humans he had came into contact with. It was like Danny's whenever Takashi had mentioned being a slave. It was a look of sadness for him and his kind.

Sam didn't deserve this from Plasmius. Neither did Danny. They were both good kids with pure hearts. Maybe a bit naive, but brave and strong. Those were rare qualities in humans. Qualities that shouldn't be messed with. And here Takashi was, disturbing everything because of his fickle fear for his master. He wasn't afraid of the ghost or the pain! He was the mighty Takashi of Osaka! And he was going to fix this mess.

With great difficulty, Takashi let go of Sam's arm. She still hung onto his wrist, a bit surprised by his action. The Guardian sighed heavily. He was crazy for doing this. It was the ruining of his own future. Surely he was committing suicide. And for what? A bunch of stupid humans? No. More than that. For a life. It was kind of an oxymoron. A wry, evil smile came to his lips at the thought.

"What are you going to do?" Sam asked the Guardian wearily at the sight of that smile. She quickly released his wrist and stepped away from the Japanese boy.

"I have an idea," Takashi told her with unhidden excitement swelling in his voice. The smile never vanished from his face.

Sam didn't understand. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Idea for what? You aren't making any sense. Are you letting me go now? Or are you giving me a false sense of hope just to stick to us humans?"

Takashi laughed at this. This girl and her brain was amusing. "Great little trick, but no," he reassured her. "But I'm not letting you go. I'd probably die instantly for that."

"You would?" Sam asked, a bit taken back by this news.

"Well, when your master is...ah...mine, it is all too easy to get killed over disobedience," Takashi said, grimacing when he tried to say Vlad's name and the pain prevented him from doing so.

"Must be a pretty evil master," Sam mused with a frown. She was becoming a little angry now. No one had the right to kill off ghosts like that, if ghosts were really killable. "Who could do that to anyone?" she growled, "It's just heartless. No one, not even ghosts like you, should be slaves. It's cruel."

"Ah, but that would be blasphemy," Takashi said with another evil, wry grin. In a flash, he had Sam's chin in one of his strong hands. Their faces were only an inch apart as he said, "And that could result in death as well. Are you seeing how option-less a life of a Guardian can be?"

"Yes," Sam whispered as she stared into the dark eyes of her kidnapper. She didn't dare move. The Guardian was dangerous and unpredictable. She didn't know what else to do under his hold.

"Oh, I scared you," Takashi stated apologetically. He let her go and took a quick step away. He flashed her a less intimidating smile. It was hard to remember that humans could be so fragile with things like touch and emotions after so many centuries serving under ghosts.

"I-I'm just not used to ones like you," Sam tried to explain to him. She wrapped her arms around her chest forlornly and said softly, "I don't even trust you. You're just so strange. No offense."

"Strange," Takashi repeated thoughtfully. "Good word choice. I do tend to come off rather unexplainable to you humans."

The two stood there taking in each other for a long, silent moment. Neither of them said a word as their eyes observed the one opposite of them. It was like the two had come to an understanding with each other. Both were extremely different in many ways but one. They both knew Danny Phantom. Through that one common thing, they both had knowledge as to help the kid wherever he was but were also in danger of hurting him badly. Either they had to respect each other and come together somehow, or Danny's future wasn't going to last long.

"What is your idea?" Sam asked the Guardian finally.

Takashi grinned. "Guess," he answered slyly.

-Theo-

This was getting out of hand. He watched with a grimace as his friend was forced to run around an arena that was flooding with burning liquid with his enemy handcuffed to him. Ares had pulled out the most dangerous accommodations for his favorite little demigod to do battle. His wish for the boy's death was clear.

"This is crazy," Theo spat up at Ares who stood beside him. He kept his narrowed eyes on Danny as he said, "At this rate, everyone in that gladiator pit is going to die."

"And your point?" Ares asked with a sick, devilish grin.

Theo glanced up at the god with a frown. "I know you find enjoyment in this," Theo growled. "But this is taking it too far. You even put one of your own in there with him! Are you insane? Vlad will kill you for this."

Confusion clouded Ares' face with these words. "Which one is Vlad's?" he asked Theo. He sounded a little worried about this. No one messed with Vlad's assassins or bounty hunters. He'd be in trouble for sure for this mess up.

"The guy with the cloak!" Theo barked back. "Are you really that stupid that you put him in there without knowing he was sent from Plasmius?"

Ares didn't like the insults the demigod was throwing his way. With an angry growl, he grabbed a handful of the front of Theo's shirt and lifted him off his feet with the raise of one hand. Hands still bound behind him, Theo could do nothing as he was lifted right off the ground and pulled toward the irritated god's frowning face.

"You want to run that one by me again, cat boy?" Ares growled out the words.

Theo's attention wasn't on Ares. His wide eyes were pinned on the ghost boy fighting for his life in the pit. Theo thought his heart stopped at the sight he witnessed. Danny's skilled partner had went down, the burning liquid was steadily rising so there was no escape off that box, and the last gladiator was getting ready to strike the unsuspecting Danny.

Ares followed Theo's terrified gaze and they both watched in silent astonishment as Danny spun around with Cloak Guy's sword in hand and plowed the weapon into the gladiator's chest. It was a clean, perfect strike on Danny's part. Just like how Theo had taught him. But in that very second when the gladiator died, Theo wished so hard that he hadn't trained the boy to do a single thing. The first kill was always horrible and devastating. Danny's life would be changed forever. And it would all be because of Theo.

"I don't believe it," Ares said with a cruel laugh in his voice. "I would have never guessed the kid had it in him." He glanced over to Theo who he still held with one hand. The half sphinx had a pained expression etched on his face.

"Then you have no clue who Danny is," Theo told Ares darkly. His gaze on the ghost boy never wavered when he said, "That kid down there is the strongest human _and_ ghost that I've ever seen. You will _never_ know how capable he is."

"No human is stronger than a ghost!" Ares protested loudly. "How dare you utter such a thing in my godly presence!" In a burst of outrage at the demigod's blasphemous words, the god flung the young man down onto the cement terrace with a growl of distaste. Theo landed roughly on his scared back with a wince. He watched Ares throw his beefy fist up for a punch with a scowl.

"Ares," the steely voice of Artemis interrupted the pummeling the god had been ready to ensue on the helpless demigod.

"Not now, Artemis," Ares snapped at her, furious. "I'm busy."

"This concerns the ghost boy and his friends," Artemis said without emotion.

Theo dared to pull his hard gaze off Ares to look at the goddess with this news. What had that idiotic Guardian done now? If she had given herself away this quickly, Zara was not exactly living up to her excellent reputation. What part of sneak attack did she not understand?

"Then what is it?" Ares bellowed. "You are a pathetic excuse of a servant to me! Hurry it up!"

Artemis broke out into an evil grin. It was uncharacteristic for the goddess. Ares didn't notice it, though. He only frowned more when she didn't say anything right away. Theo, on the other hand, had caught on and flew into action.

With hands in flames, Theo tore through the rope binds on his wrists. He was lunging upward before Ares could comprehend what the demigod had just done. It was one quick, deft strike. Theo's one hand wrapped around the humming sapphire amulet around the god's neck. He jerked the arm back with such sudden force that it broke the chain, leaving the god open for a thermos attack.

"Brilliant timing, cat boy," Artemis thrilled as she brought out a Fenton Thermos from behind her back. In the transaction, she morphed into the preferred form of Zara. The grin widened at the befuddled look on the Ares' face.

With the drastic downplay of power without Ares' amulet, the air of bloodlust dropped at an alarming rate. Half the crowd came out of a stupor the war god had put on them with the power of the amulet. The entire audience went crazy when this happened. People started screaming and running wildly in every direction. It was chaos in all the matter of seconds.

"More of your devious tricks!" Ares screamed at Theo in pure loathing. The back of his hand caught Theo off guard. It whacked so fast across the demigod's cheek that it sent the half sphinx to the ground in a daze.

"Hold still, big guy," Zara grumbled as she tried to aim the thermos at the god. But Ares was too fast. He sprung upon the defenseless demigod before Theo could get to his feet. In less than a second, Ares had his strong hands wrapped around Theo's throat.

"Don't you dare, Guardian!" Ares yelled at Zara. They glared at each other for a second. Zara's fingers itched over the button to suck the god into his metal prison, but this new twist was making things difficult for her.

"This thing's fast," Zara told Ares with a polite smile. "Go ahead and crush my master. He can't command me to save him anyways. Your arms around his windpipe kind of prevent him from saying anything."

"Nice try, slave," Ares spat back, "But I'm not taking my hands off this traitorous, insignificant demigod." His black eyes smiled with his lips as he added, "Just try and press that button. We'll see who's faster. That little device's sucking power, or my strength as I crush all the bones in this half sphinx's neck."

Theo grunted when he heard these words. Fear almost overwhelmed him, but he kept it under control with his angry emotions. With narrowed eyes, I glanced over to Zara. She had better not try something stupid. But if he knew her and her kind any better, she'd press that button in a heartbeat. He was just another master to get rid of for her.

"Come on!" Zara shouted with heated annoyance. "Just let the cat boy go so we can get this over with!" Ares only grinned more. Zara hissed a curse before screaming at the god, "Get off him! Now!"

"You can't do it, can you?" Ares asked her. The pleasure was all over his face at this fact. He chuckled sinisterly at Zara's serious face. "You're too soft," he told her. "You're a worthless Guardian."

Zara suddenly dropped her head in shame. Her shoulders slumped with defeat. "You're right," she whispered with an overdramatic sniff. "I'm so worthless." Ares laughed maliciously at his triumph. For only a split second, he let up on his hold around Theo's neck. Not even a second later, Zara had attacked. She watched pitilessly as a surprised and infuriated Ares screamed all the way into the thermos.

"Gods are such idiots," Zara seethed through clenched teeth. She put the cap back on the thermos and glanced up. Theo stood in front of her, face grave and serious. "What?" she sniffed at him.

"Thank you," Theo said quietly.

This caught the Guardian a bit off guard, but she didn't show her emotion as she said, "The hesitation was just part of my act. I try to keep my master death toll at a minimum, you know. Don't get any disillusions about this. If that hadn't worked, I'd have let you die anyways."

Theo broke out into a wry grin. "I'm sure," he said with disbelief. He leaned in close to her and said evilly, "Whatever lets you sleep at night." She glowered at him in return.

-Danny-

"_I'm here for you, Danny," Cloak Guy said, a smile in his voice._

_Then all chaos broke loose._

The two looked up when the crowd suddenly started to scream and scramble for exits. They were as frantic as a pack of frightened rats clogged up in a sewer drain. The green ghost shield above flickered before fading out altogether. With Ares gone, everyone wanted to escape as soon as possible. It didn't help that everyone had the same idea and the exits were getting clogged from the stampede. Things were getting dangerous fast.

Cloak Guy chuckled as he took his sword point away from Danny's chin. He sheathed the weapon in its place behind his back and took in the hectic scene playing out before him with some amusement. He shook his head saying, "Always perfect timing with those two."

"What is going on?" Danny asked, clueless as usual. He was still sitting dejectedly on his butt and looking up into the shadowy depths of Cloak Guy's hood with wide, scared eyes.

"I think we successfully did our jobs for today," Cloak Guy said smugly. The ghost turned intangible and began sinking into the floor before Danny's feet. He gave the boy a two finger salute then pointed at something behind him and said, "You might want to go take care of the kid. I'll see you later, Danny." Then he was gone.

Danny stared at the place Cloak Guy had just been in stunned, paralyzing silence. His head was a swarm of emotions and questions. Although he had just killed someone and bravely fought off a hoard of enemies using nothing but a sword and at times just his body like the warrior Theo had taught him to be, he felt like no champion. He felt like a scared, defenseless 16 year old boy. He wanted to cry.

Before the tears could spring to his eyes, a familiar scream broke through the confusion from the stands. Danny went rigid in fear before spinning his head around to look behind him. His eyes took in the situation in a second. Melody and Bob were in trouble with a squad of Artemis' archer girls. While Melody was running down an aisle of seats, they were drawing back their strings for a strike against the kid and blob.

Danny leapt forward and off the box in Melody's direction. In mid air, he flashed into ghost form. He put on a powerful burst of speed and blasted for the little girl with a firm frown of determination in his eyes. The archers all saw him coming and hesitated for a brief moment. It was all Danny needed.

The ghost boy came flying into Melody from her side. She hadn't seen him coming, he was so fast. A scream ripped from her throat as he wrapped his arms around her and plowed the girl and himself into a seat. Danny crouched around Melody as he sent up a ectoplasm shield. He gritted his teeth as the arrows struck it painfully, but he'd do anything to keep Melody safe.

"Bob!" Danny screamed for the blob. More arrows pelted the shield Danny had set up. Bob fretfully flew up to Danny's wincing face. Each arrow was a needle shoved into his skin. "Where is Zara?" he asked Bob.

Bob pointed up to terrace that Danny had seen Theo and Ares on while he was in the gladiator pit. Danny nodded to his friend in thanks. He heaved Melody up onto his hip while standing. She clung to him so tightly, he didn't think he'd had to hold her up. Thankfully she wasn't crying.

Eyes turning blue, Danny waved his hand in the air over the warrior girls. As they pulled back on their bowstrings, their hands suddenly froze to their long range weapons that had turned into ice by the boy's frosty powers. They frowned at Danny, but did nothing more. They had only been doing what had been ordered of them. Some of them didn't even want to attack the boy. All of them hated going after the little girl, and so let the ghost boy fly away to keep her safe.

Danny shot into the air, straight for the terrace where he would find the others. True to Bob's word, Zara was there along with Theo. They watched in silence as the ghost boy landed before them.

"Good news," Zara said brightly. She and Theo had decided that it would better at the moment to ignore Danny's reactions and emotions from the kill for now. They had to deal with it later, as mean as that sounded. "We're all alive and Ares is in his ultimate thermos prison. Thanks for taking care of the kid, ghost boy. Now hand the girl over. She looks like she just had a heart attack."

Melody shook her head fervently and hung onto Danny with a stubborn frown. Danny tried to pry her little hands off him to give her over to Zara, but the girl wouldn't have it. Theo watched the scene with a look of bemusement on his face. The girl had just seen Danny kill someone for sure, but she liked him more than Zara. It was ironic. Or it said a lot about the Guardian.

"I want Danny!" Melody pleaded in a quiet voice.

The words shocked the whole group into a literal pause. Zara, having heard her speak a few times before, recovered first. She shook her head with a grin and put her hands up in defeat. "You heard her, boys," she said with a chuckle. "I've been demoted."

"She talks?" Theo said, still a bit disbelieving.

"I told you before that she does," Zara scolded him.

"Yeah, but I thought you were lying," Theo said with a guilty smile. Bob nodded sympathetically while Zara rolled her eyes.

"Let's get out of here, guys," Danny said suddenly. "Before Artemis comes looking for us or her hunters find us."

Theo ignored the wavering of emotion in Danny's voice and said quickly, "Good idea. You take Melody and fly out of here. Head for the hanger bay in the city which holds our ship."

"You know Artemis will be waiting there for us," Zara pointed out. "Going there will be like walking into her trap."

"That ship is the only way off this miserable Terra," Theo said. "We're getting off this dust bowl even if it kills us. Artemis will just have to deal with it."

Danny shrugged with indifference, turned, and flew off with Melody in his hands. As he went, Theo and Zara glanced at each other. Zara ran forward with a wicked grin. She latched onto Theo's wrist before jumping right off the terrace. The demigod gave a yelp in alarm as they plummeted toward the earth before Zara flew upward and after Danny and drug Theo along with her.

The hanger bay the group had landed in was a lonely little ring of metal scraps and dust on the outskirts of the main city Ares controlled on his barren Terra. The building was a donut shaped with a open middle for the landing and taking off of ships. It took the group only a minute or two to land at a deserted entrance and sneak into the doorless, pathetic building.

As they traversed the dark hallways, Theo whispered over his shoulder, "Expect to have a lot of company once we get out into the ring. Artemis herself might even be here somewhere."

They made it to one of the many open arches that served as an entrance and exit to the middle of the donut. The hot sun reflected off the gleaming solar sails of the docked ships and the burning white sand. The group leaned against the edges of the archway and peered silently into the light from the comforts of their stuffy darkness.

"You weren't kidding when you said company," Zara muttered into Theo's ear. She was observing the three dozen or so archery squads that were stationed inside the open air area. "Artemis brought her whole dang army to cut us off. You have a plan, cat boy?"

"Not really," Theo muttered through clenched teeth. This was frustrating. How were they going to get through all those archers?

Bob fluttered frantically around Theo's head, suddenly in a panic. He squeaked incoherent sentences at his friend. Theo glanced up at him in irritation until he saw where the blob was pointing. Zara swore from beside him when she saw it too...or more like what wasn't there. Danny and Melody were gone.

"I will _kill_ that ghost boy!" Theo vowed in an angry growl.

"Look, he's doing something stupid," Zara said flatly. The Guardian was ticked off as well. Danny was the one taking care of her true master. Some heads up would have been nice. She pointed for Theo to see what she was looking at.

"What is he _doing_?" Theo asked in astonishment.

The three watched in stunned confusion and shock as they saw Danny flipping switches on the deck of another ship on the other side of the hanger bay. He'd turned intangible and invisible to sneak his way there. As the engines exploded to life on the massive battle ship, all the heads of the archers turned to see what was going on. A second later the girls snapped into action and raced toward the ship with arrows notched and strings drawn.

"Maybe he snapped," Theo mused out loud. Bob nodded.

"That is an excellent possibility," Zara agreed.

They jumped suddenly when Danny spun the wheel one way and ran the bow of the ship into another smaller one and the thing crashed into the wall from the forceful momentum. The small ship exploded on contact with the wall. A hard look of determination was in Danny's focused green eyes as he kept the battle ship barely off the ground and kept ramming into the other docked ships.

All attention was on Danny by now. He was destroying every ship in the hanger bay except for the one he was one and Theo's stolen one. The archers attacked Danny like there was no tomorrow. Arrows rained down on the wavering green force field he had set up around him and the controls.

"Did he just become a distraction?" Zara asked with the tilt of her head. Since when had Danny become so quick with a plan? She was blown away.

Theo grinned inanely. "That is _so_ cool," he said before taking off for his ship in the middle of the area. Zara and Bob were right behind him. They got onboard without a single problem. Danny's planned chaos had worked perfectly.

At the controls, Theo worked quickly to get the ship off the ground. It slowly lifted into the air. As it did so, Danny glanced over from his position on the deck of the battle cruiser ship. He wrapped his hands tight around Melody before turning intangible and flying over to Theo's ship that was ready to take off. The second he landed on deck, Theo opened throttle and blasted off at top speed away from the Terra.

"Nice idea, dude," Theo grinned at Danny. "There is a genius somewhere repressed in that brain of yours." He raised a hand for a high five. Danny forced a smile as he gave his friend the wanted high five. Theo noticed the lack of passion in the boy and his shoulders slumped in guilt.

"What about Artemis?" Danny asked Theo once they were a safe distance from the Terra. No one would be coming after them. Danny had destroyed all means of flight there. But he wondered if they were going to come back and capture her later on.

"I'm right here," the calm, steely voice of the goddess said from the center of the main deck.

A/N: I just love your reviews, guys. Some of your guesses to Cloak Guy's true identity are impressive, although, I don't think I made it very hard to guess if you see the hints. He'll be back later on. I'd love to answer reviews, but I'm extremely busy. Sorry. But once I get Internet, which I think will be by this weekend, I can and I'll put up another chapter. So, hopefully, see you guys again this weekend.


	23. Chapter 23 Aching and Beating Heart

A/N: You guys are good guessers. I'd love to say more, but I'd be giving too much away. Thanks for your reviews, guys. And now that Internet is up at my house, I can get back on track with my updates. Yay! Nothing much more to say, so let's get on with the chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own any Danny Phantom characters. The rest are mine!

Chapter 23 Aching and Beating Heart

"This is so weird," Sam said as she sat down on the living room couch. A steaming mug of tea Takashi had made was in her hands. The Guardian sat on the other side of the couch. Me smiled into his cup in mid sip at her words.

"You think this is any better for me?" he asked her. "I've never done anything as crazy as this. Usually its Zara who comes up with stupid plans like this one. And let's not forget the fact that I haven't talked regularly with a human in decades. It still feels unnatural to my essence."

"Oh, wow! This is good tea!" Sam said with surprise after a long sip. The great taste had totally taken her off guard for the second.

"My first master was a detective in Japan," Takashi said with a genuine grin. "He was obsessed with tea. I had to learn to make it perfect for him. I guess it comes in handy even to this day."

"But you're so powerful," Sam pointed out, confused. "Why did he make you fix him his tea?"

"Because humans are lazy animals and we Guardians have to do whatever they order us to do," Takashi answered dryly. He shrugged. "I didn't mind it. He was a fair master. Those are rare. What is the emotion? I'm _grateful_ to have served under him for so long. Does that sound right?"

"You almost sounded human right there," Sam teased him with a smirk.

"Not quite sure if that is a good thing," Takashi murmured. "You humans tend to come off rather insane with your wild emotions."

"Thanks," Sam said, slightly offended. She did see where he was coming from, though. For someone who was trained to have no emotions or repress them, seeing them full and laid out so easily like how humans behave does seem a bit crazy.

"But _you_ aren't the normal human, are you?" Takashi asked with a sly smile. "You're different." Sam stared into his dark, ominous eyes, slightly scared. The smile was just so evil. Takashi changed it into one of mockery as he looked away. He chuckled to himself, "And yet you're just as emotional as all the others. The look of fear is the same on every one of you guys."

"Don't do that, okay!" Sam shouted at him, angry and flustered. "I thought we agreed to work together. That creepy smile doesn't give me much confidence in your word. I don't want to guess what is going on when I think you're just going to lie to me."

"It looked like too much fun, okay?" Takashi tried to defend himself. "Sometimes Guardians just can't help it. When our master isn't sitting right next to us, it just seems too easy."

"So who is your master?" Sam asked, frowning. She was going ignore what he'd just said.

"You know the game," Takashi told her. "I can't tell you a thing. You're going to have to guess. You seem smart. I know you'll get it."

"Do I know your master?" Sam asked. Takashi nodded. "Is he one of Danny's enemies? Is he a ghost?"

"Yes," Takashi said with thought. "But he's only half ghost."

"Oh my gosh! Vlad!" Sam gasped. Who else besides Danny was part ghost? It could only be Vlad.

"That was quicker than expected," Takashi said with a smile. "I underestimated you. You're not as clueless as your boyfriend."

"He's not _that_ bad," Sam protested.

"He was getting there," Takashi admitted. "Good thing he had his friend there to train him. The kid was deplorable at chess, though."

"Who was he with?" Sam asked urgently. "Give me a hint." She wanted to ask about the chess thing, but that had only been the ramblings of the Guardian. She needed to stay on track.

"I wonder if you know him," Takashi mused. "If you do, this should be easy." He leaned back in the living room's sofa while changing forms. Sam watched in shock and amazement as he morphed into a set of cat ears and tan fur. It was a perfect replica of the cat boy.

"Theo?" Sam shouted in surprise. "What would he be doing in the future?"

"It is a long story I don't know," Takashi answered without much of an answer. He changed back into her preferred form. "But it is good you know him because he's why you and your boyfriend is in this mess."

"It's the Infimap, isn't it?" Sam asked after a pause for thought.

One of Takashi's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You're a quick one," he muttered. He opened his mouth to say more, but something beeped from his wrist. He frowned while shutting his mouth and looking at his demanding watch.

"Don't say anything," Takashi ordered Sam before pressing a button on his watch communicator. Sam watched in wonder as a hologram of a dog head popped out of the watch face. "What do you need, Mac?" Takashi asked the other Guardian.

"You have the target secured?" Mac asked, sounding nervous and preoccupied.

"Of course," Takashi said, gaze piercing. "Get to the point, Mac. What is wrong?"

"Well," Mac started, "the Infimap detected just a minute ago a set of Rebellion bots entering a portal here and exiting a portal that is linked to the time you are in."

Takashi swore before urgently asking, "How much time do I have?"

"Five minutes tops," Mac delivered the bad news. "You'll have to either find another location or fight. What are you-."

He was cut off when Takashi pressed a button on his communicator to cancel the obnoxious Guardian. The hologram faded out. Takashi looked up at Sam, face mysterious and dark. She matched his intense look of her own. She wanted to show him that even thought she barely knew what was going on, she was with him all the way.

Finally Takashi smiled at her. It was his scary, wicked smile. But this time it sent no shiver down the girl's spine as he asked, "You ready for some action?"

-Danny and Others-

The tension in the air instantly turned hostile and tense at the sight of the goddess on the ship. Zara stiffened from her place by the railing with Melody. She hadn't sensed the invisible ghost at all. Artemis wasn't called the goddess of the hunt for nothing.

The group was quiet and still as they watched the goddess gracefully walk over to the controls where Danny and Theo stood. The woman stopped in front of the two and gave them a sad, warm smile. They were taken off guard when she nodded at them and said in a clear voice, "Thank you."

"For what?" Theo asked, suspicious. "This isn't one of your tricks, is it?"

Artemis smiled at him. "You were always a quick one, Theo," she told him. "And although you are a male, I must give you some credit for saving me from Ares. You were very brave to stand up to the god."

Theo didn't respond at first. He didn't know what to think. It didn't look like the goddess was going to attack them, but he didn't want to be too sure. He didn't know what to say.

"Why did you go with Ares into the future?" Danny asked her suddenly.

Artemis turned to the young ghost boy, her face falling into a small frown. "I did not want to go with Vlad at first. I am a simple goddess who loves the forest and the hunt. The future was not for me. But a day before the others went, Ares came to me. He told me that on his own Terra there would only be men because they were the only true warriors. All females would be killed off, maybe even for sport.

"I couldn't allow that. Besides the goddess of the hunt, I stand up for the rights of women and children. How could I call myself a goddess if I didn't protect these girls from the malice hands of Ares in the future? So I proposed a deal with him. I would become his slave in the future if he swore never to hurt a single female. It worked, and for half a century I've had to do every single thing he ordered me to. But my sacrifice was worth it in the end. You guys rescued me. Now everyone on the Terra is free."

"But how could you do that?" Danny asked her. "How could you just give up your life like that for humans you hadn't even met or knew? What if you were needed back in your own time?"

"Danny," Artemis addressed the boy firmly, "Sometimes a hero can easily swoop in and save the day using all his effort and all his strength. He or she puts their life on the line to save millions of others. It is brave. It is selfless. But sometimes, a hero has to go beyond that.

"Sometimes he or she has to give up a piece of themselves to stop a single evil from hurting the innocent. I had to do that. I gave up my freedom, which was a part of me. And some day, hopefully soon, you make the decision I did. It will not be easy, and it will never be easy afterwards. But I want to tell you this now. You will move on."

"I don't understand," Danny said quietly.

"You killed for the first time today," Artemis said. Danny flinched at the dreaded memory. "It was instinctive. You did not mean to take that life. One day you will kill on purpose."

Danny's head shot up from where it hung to look at the goddess. He wanted to be angry and scream at her that he'd never take away the life of another human being ever again. She was crazy to believe he'd repeat such a devastating and horrifying thing. But all the teen felt was an aching sadness well up inside his chest. It was like a hole was eating him up from the inside with each thought of his murderous act.

He couldn't get the right words out, so he wrapped his arms around his chest to keep himself together and said nothing. To his dismay, his vision was becoming bleary from tears that welled up in his eyes. He didn't want to cry here, not now, not in front of Theo, Zara, and Artemis.

Artemis saw this and patted the teen on the shoulder in her way of comforting the boy. She then stepped away from the group who had gathered around her and smiled one last time at them. "Good luck, boys," she told Theo and Danny. "Keep them all safe, Guardian," she told Zara. They nodded respectfully at each other.

"Now," she said after a long sigh, "I have a Terra you guys left behind to fix. I will do my best. If you ever need the help, come and ask. My archers would give their lives for the safety of this crumbled planet. I will send them to you at a moments notice."

"Good to know," Theo said with a grin. He had decided to accept her thanks. It looked like she wasn't going to attack them after all. Rhodes was going to love that news, though. She needed more warriors. He couldn't wait to use that excuse to write her a letter. It was going to be a long letter.

"I will not repeat my thanks because boys are incompetent pigs," Artemis sniffed, "But I will say I am grateful to have all of you here. Good bye." And like that, she vanished before their very eyes.

-That Night-

In the dark sleeping chamber of the ship, Danny laid in his hammock and stared dejectedly up at the ceiling. His mind's eye was constantly replaying the past few hours over and over again in a continuous tape of torture. The hole that had formed in his chest seemed to ache more with each sleepless hour.

How was he going to live with this thing, this empty void in his chest? Would it go away? Did he want it to leave? The feeling of it reminded him of what he did to that human, how he took that person's life. The teen wanted to remember that what he'd done was wrong, but this was too much to carry for the rest of his life.

The feeling built up to an overwhelming peak, and that was when the tears came. Danny squeezed his wet eyes shut and tried to ride it out. His arms instinctively wrapped around his chest to hold himself together. He wondered how he hadn't broken apart by now.

Small hands touched his shoulder. Danny sniffed backed his tears and wiped them away furiously with the back of his hands before he turned toward the little girl standing by his hammock. Melody stood shyly before him, kicking imaginary dirt clumps on the ground with her bare toes in her nervousness.

"What do you need, Melody?" Danny asked, voice weak from his swarm of emotions.

It took the girl a moment, but she finally said in a faint whisper, "I want to sleep with you." Danny opened his mouth to protest. He loved the kid, but he felt like he had to be alone with this hole. Melody quickly explained. "I'm afraid of the dark," she said urgently. Her voice showed her fear. "I'm scared."

"Fine, but tomorrow you sleep with Zara," Danny told her, making room for her. He remembered his own fear of the dark when he was young. He couldn't deny the girl some comfort. And she must have been really scared if she was talking.

Melody quickly hopped into the hammock beside her ghost hero. With a small smile, she snuggled close to Danny. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes at the rhythmic sound of his heartbeat. Zara didn't have a heartbeat being a ghost and all, so this was special to hear.

Suddenly Melody raised her head to look up at Danny. He had a distant, sorrowful look in his eyes and expression. Melody didn't understand his emotion, and she didn't like it. "Don't be sad," she whispered up to him. "Zara likes you, and Theo loves you too."

Danny smiled down at her. These were the most words he'd heard from her in these past few long and tiresome months. It was nice to finally see Melody come out of her shell. Lately it seemed like she only privileged him with her beautiful voice, though. He had no idea why. Why only him?

"You think they really do like me?" Danny asked her, trying to smile again. Although he usually didn't like kids, Melody was different. He was glad now that he hadn't sent her away to sleep on her own. Being with her somehow repressed the ache of the hole in him.

"Yes," Melody said seriously. She was always so quiet when she talked. Danny almost didn't catch it.

"What about you?" Danny asked teasingly. "Do you like me?"

Melody seemed surprised by this question. She didn't say anything at first. Danny gave her a perplexed look from her weird reaction. Finally, after much pondering from the small girl, she smiled and said with more passion, "Yes!"

"Good," Danny chuckled. "And I like you too." This put a beautiful smile to the girl's face, and she beamed happily up at Danny before putting her head back down on his chest. Almost instantly, she was asleep.

The heart wrenching smile seemed to sooth the hole in him. Melody's closeness warmed his broken body. Danny closed his eyes with a faint smile on his lips. This is how he was going to survive. The love from his friends and family was there for him. All he had to do was grasp it and hang on.

-Week Later-

"You're not as good as Takashi was," Danny pointed out to Zara, voice dull as he mused over the pieces of the chess game. Melody was in his lap, pretending to be interested in the game. She tried pointing to a piece to get Danny to move it, but he shook his head no. He was thinking hard on this one, and so far the game had lasted two hours.

"Well, thanks, ghost boy," Zara muttered sarcastically. She yawned over dramatically in her boredom. She hated chess, especially when playing against Takashi. He always won despite the fact that she was smarter than he was. "I'm still going to beat you, though. You can't outsmart a Guardian." She grinned wickedly.

"Well, at least with you, I have a chance," Danny said, moving a piece to the desired place. He flashed the annoyed Guardian a smirk. Zara didn't like it when people challenged her intelligence. It was the easiest way to bug her...or get killed.

"Takashi might be a good chess player, but he doesn't make a good fighter," Zara said before moving her piece. Danny smiled and took out her queen with a small flourish. Zara aggressively took out the knight he had just used, saying, "You, apparently, need to work on both aspects."

"Check," Danny said with a glare shot toward the Guardian. "At least I'm trying."

Zara moved her king out of the line of fire. She hadn't seen that move. She hated to admit that the kid was getting good. "Try harder," she said, meeting his gaze.

Danny returned his eyes to the board. He drummed his fingers in thought. He plotted out future moves in his head once again, then stopped suddenly. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

Somehow her queen was back on the board. He looked to the side where he had put it. It was still there. He glanced back up to Zara. She wasn't paying attention. She was looking longingly out into the hot, cloudless sky, daydreaming about changing into a bird and flying around.

"Wait," Danny said slowly. The idea was coming to him. Was this how Zara kept winning? He couldn't believe it!

Zara looked over at him, amused. "I _am_ waiting," she said. "Jeez, Danny, you're such a slow chess player. At least Takashi was smart enough to kick my butt in a half an hour."

"You're cheating!" Danny yelled at her.

Zara snorted in disbelief. Rolling her eyes, she said, "Ghost boy has snapped."

"No," Danny persisted. "You're cheating! I just took out your queen. Now it is back on the board. How else do you explain that?" Zara didn't say anything and looked away, trying to play innocent. "Just admit it," Danny demanded. "You've been cheating this entire time."

"Not every game I cheat!" Zara retorted sharply. "Just the ones you look like you're going to win. And you've always been so stupid that you don't see my little illusions. It was too much fun to resist, okay?"

Theo was suddenly at chess table, hands folded in front of him and a frown planted on his face. "You two look like you're having too much fun," he growled humorlessly. "What is going on?"

"She's been using her illusion power to cheat," Danny accused the Guardian, pointing a finger at the guilty. Zara's only defense was a bright, too innocent smile in Theo's direction. Then Theo did something Danny least expected. He laughed.

"You are so _mean_," he told Zara with a chuckle. The idea of her cheating at a chess game to save her pride was so outrageous, he found it funny. "Do you ever stop being evil?"

"Don't laugh," Danny said, still angry. "You'll only encourage her." Zara giggled devilishly.

"We need Takashi back," Theo said, half jokingly. At least the other Guardian behaved himself during a chess game. Zara was just crazy. "When can we make that switch again? I'm sure you and Ember made a good pair."

The thought of Takashi gave Zara a flash of sadness. She forced the feeling down and gave a sharp laugh at Theo's words. "Takashi is long gone by now," she told him. "He was one vacation with Ember. And we did not make a good pair. She is a bigger chore freak than you are. It was like her favorite past time was coming up with what had to be dusted or cleaned." She stuck her tongue out in disgust. Melody giggled at the funny face.

"Maybe that should become my favorite past time," Theo mused, grinning down at Melody. He hadn't heard her talk since that day on Ares' Terra, but she did look like she was opening up.

"If Takashi knew he'd get punished like that, then why did he go along with your plan?" Danny asked the Guardian with curiosity. Sometimes the mind of a Guardian was too much for him.

"He was bored," Zara answered as if the kid was an idiot for not knowing the answer sooner. She didn't add in the part that maybe he liked her. It was unhealthy for her to even think of that kiss from a month ago. It sent so many different emotions through her, she would sometimes have to close her eyes and drive the memory away into the far corners of her brain.

"Maybe he was really attracted to insane girls," Theo shot back jokingly. He didn't except her reaction at all.

"Don't _ever_ joke that way," Zara suddenly seethed with incredible intensity, voice dark and threatening. The piercing stare she gave the demigod made him take a step back in sudden fear. He'd never seen Zara so serious. It brought back bad memories from his past.

"Whoa, calm down," Danny tried to sooth the situation. Zara abruptly got out of her chair and walked away without another word. "Wait, Zara!" Danny called after her as she took the stairs below deck. She didn't even look back. Danny sighed when she was gone. He looked up to Theo's stunned face and asked, "You okay, dude?"

"Yeah," Theo answered, walking slowly away and toward the helm. "I'm good. I'm always good." Danny watched him go, confused by his friends' actions. Theo said over his shoulder, "Tomorrow we should be at Hephaestus's Terra."

"Uh...thanks for the heads up," Danny called back. He looked down at Melody still sitting silently in his lap and smiled at her. "What are we going to do with those two?" he asked with a heavy sigh. Melody shrugged absentmindedly.

The little girl jumped off Danny's lap and walked over to the other chair seated at the old chess table. She had to stand in the chair to look over the pieces. Danny watched her put the pieces back into their starting positions.

"I'm the one who feels like breaking apart every day," Danny said quietly to Melody or just himself. "I shouldn't have to be taking care of them and their issues." He looked up to be reassured by one of Melody's sweet smiles. She was gone. The hole in him ached at her sudden absence.

Groaning at how pathetic he felt and probably looked, Danny let his head fall back on the chair and closed his eyes. He was taking this new twist in his life as best as he could these past few days, but he could see his friends stare at him sadly whenever the void hurt too much and he instinctively wrapped his arms around him. They were worried about him, and to be honest, he worried about himself too. It didn't help with what Artemis had told him.

"Rough day, huh?" an all too familiar voice said from across the chess board.

Gasping in surprise, Danny's eyes flew open. Cloak Guy sat on the other chair, arms crossed across his chest and a nonchalant air to him. The always present hood hide his face.

"I hate chess," Cloak Guy muttered as he stared at the board.

"Theo!" Danny yelled for his friend, panic laden in his voice.

"Oh, jeez, no!" Cloak Guy said, alarm in his voice. He waved his hands in font of him to indicate for Danny to stop his yelling. "Don't do that!"

Danny opened his mouth for another shout, but Cloak Guy got there first. In a flash of steel, he had taken out his sword and had it pressed against the boy's throat. Danny closed his mouth, wide eyes on the cool blade. His heart thumbed wildly in his chest. Why hadn't Theo or Zara come to his rescue yet.

"Don't make another sound," Cloak Guy ordered Danny.

"What, Danny?" Theo's faint shout from the helm asked, tone annoyed.

"N-nothing!" Danny stumbled with the words. He found it hard to keep a steady voice while at knifepoint. He heard Cloak Guy sigh in relief before pulling the sword away. "Why haven't you killed me yet?" Danny asked once they were both settled back into their seats. The tension was still high, but at least the sword was sheathed.

Cloak Guy laughed sardonically at the question. "Is it the hood?" he asked Danny. "Maybe that is why I keep getting pegged as an assassin. Just because I said I was here for you doesn't mean I want to kill you. Ever think that Vlad wants you alive?"

Danny's stomach twisted in fear of the thought. Was Cloak Guy here to kidnap him then? If he did want to kidnap Danny, then why hadn't he done so back in the gladiator pit? There were so many questions going around in his head. But one stuck out the most.

"Who are you?" Danny asked.

Cloak Guy sighed as he leaned back in his seat and took out his sword. His hidden eyes ran over his blade as he pondered the question. Danny waited for his answer with a serious frown on his face.

"Look," Cloak Guy finally said with a tone of regret, "I wish I could tell you right now who I am. But rules are rules, Danny." The boy didn't like that answer, but he didn't protest. Maybe that meant Cloak Guy was from a different time period and had rules from Clockwork not to reveal himself. Or it could mean Vlad didn't want his bounty hunter to give out too much information.

Cloak Guy expertly twirled the hilt of the sword in his hand. Danny's eyes followed the blurry swirl of the blade. "But I can tell you why I'm here at least," Cloak Guy said quietly. "Don't listen to Artemis," he told Danny seriously.

"How do you even know what she said?" Danny asked, a bit knocked off guard.

"I get around," Cloak Guy said with a shrug. "But don't try to hide it. We both know who Artemis was talking about when she said you needed to kill on purpose. To save this world, you're going to have to kill Vlad. You understand that, right?"

"Shut up!" Danny barked back, anger covering his pain. He shot up from his seat and leaned heavily over the chess board to snarl into Cloak Guy's impassive face, "I'm not killing anyone! It was your fault I murdered that human in the gladiator pit! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have this hole in me each day!"

Cloak Guy jumped out of his chair and stuck his face into the teen's, just as infuriated. "Don't give me that crap!" he snapped. "You don't blame me for any of that. You _wanted_ to save me and yourself in that pit. I made you do nothing and you know that!"

At his peak of emotion, Danny flung himself at his adversary. Cloak Guy was a little surprised as he saw Danny coming at him over the chess board. They collided with each other a moment later and went tumbling head over heels to the ground. The wrestle between the two didn't last long. Before Danny could raise a fist, Cloak Guy rolled on top of him and lifted his sword so it pressed against the boy's throat.

Breathing hard from the brief struggle, Cloak Guy panted, "The only one to blame for murdering that gladiator is you, Danny. Just accept it!"

"The only one to blame for your death will be me," Theo's dark growl came from right behind Cloak Guy, a dagger already firmly placed at the guy's neck.

A/N: Things are getting interesting for our heroes...and Cloak Guy. I hope I'm keeping Sam in character. I'm not really sure how'd she respond to someone like Takashi, so I'm guessing a lot. We're approaching a pretty cool Terra soon...and a very _interesting_ god. I'm getting excited because I've waited so long for these next few chapters. Excuse my dork-ness and I'll see you guys next weekend! Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	24. Chapter 24 Old Enemies

A/N: I can't believe I got this chapter finished. I had a really bad case of writer's block this whole week. My other fan fiction suffered more, unfortunately. I can't update that one this weekend. Maybe in the middle of the week I can get to that one. But enough of me. This is fun chapter. Good little surprise at the end. Enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Don't own any Danny Phantom characters.

Chapter 24 Old Enemies

"I don't know how they figured out that you were getting captured, but they're coming for both of us nonetheless," Takashi said in a rush. He was already out of his seat and quickly heading toward the kitchen. Sam rushed to meet his brisk, long strides.

"Who is coming?" Sam asked him. "Are they dangerous?"

"I can't tell you," Takashi answered. "And we don't have the time for you to guess. All you have to know is that if I let them take you from me, Vlad will know I betrayed him. He knows this is a simple mission. He knows I could never mess it up, only if I tried."

"And what happens if he knows you tried to save me or betrayed him?" Sam asked boldly.

Takashi stopped at the drawer with the knives in it. He pulled it open and held up a cleaver between him and Sam. The girl wasn't afraid of the Guardian now as she stared at herself in the reflection of the metal. She pulled her gaze off herself and pinned it on a frowning Takashi.

"He'll kill me," Takashi answered her question.

Sam swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She didn't want the Guardian to die, especially for her. He barely even knew her. Why was he doing all this? Why was he risking his life for a plan that involved a betrayal of his master and helping out some humans?

The sound of a window breaking in the living room startled Sam out of her musings. She gave a little gasp while turning to look out the arch way that led into the room the noise had come from. Takashi stepped into her view with the handle of the knife pointed toward her. There was a serious expression in his eyes that bore into her.

"Do you trust me?" he asked her.

It was a loaded question. Either Sam could run from the Guardian when the robots came and escape from him, or she could trust Takashi and have faith in his plan and stay with him despite the fact she would have to remain captured. She had to make up her mind in a split second.

"I'll probably regret this, but yeah, I trust you," Sam said quickly.

Takashi cracked an amused smile. "That wasn't the greatest of answers," he said, "But close enough." He handed her the knife handle and she took it, heart beating wildly in fear and excitement. Then Takashi was somber as he told her, "Stick close to me. Use the knife when you can. Be merciless. Destroy every robot. We don't want a single one reporting back to the Rebellion."

Before Sam could respond, the robots entered the kitchen with a whirl and squeal of mechanical parts working at full speed. The robots had been taken from the Tower and rewired to work for the Rebellion, so they looked exactly like the flying bug that had first attacked Theo and Danny before their adventure had even begun.

There were a dozen of them, but only Takashi could tell how many because they were all invisible. The robots all at once flew into the room, eyes set on the Guardian. Their mission was to distract or take out the Guardian and grab the girl. Sam couldn't be killed or hurt badly. Those had been the orders that were programed into them before they traveled through the portals into this time period.

"Where are they?" Sam asked, disturbed by the fact that she could only hear the machines, not see them.

Takashi didn't answer. He had already transformed into his samurai form with sword in hand. In a flash, he was in the air. Sam watched in amazement as he wielded his sword above his head while passing two robots in mid air. When he landed, the Guardian had the sword at his side. He had swung without Sam even seeing it.

The robots Takashi had slashed suddenly turned visible. Sam gave a small gasp as their sparking metal remains fell to the kitchen floor with a crash. A moment later another robot met the same demise.

A claw wrapped around Sam's arm and yanked her toward the exit and away from Takashi. She let out a scream of alarm before throwing the knife in her hand up and coming down on the invisible robot that was dragging her backwards. But one little hack of the knife wasn't enough.

"Get off me, you stupid robot!" Sam yelled at the thing. The girl dug her heels into the linoleum floor and came down again with her knife. She could feel it shudder under each blow.

To her dismay, a second robot joined the first on her other arm, the one with the knife. Grunting with effort, Sam lifted a leg and kicked the first one as the two began to drag her out of the kitchen. She hit it square on, and the thing sparked before turning visible and dropping to the floor.

Switching hands for her knife, Sam started to go at the second invisible bug latched onto her. It had successfully dragged her out of the kitchen. Takashi was out of sight now. Sam could hear still hear him fighting in the other room. More of the bugs just coming. She wondered how many there really were.

Four more bugs joined the other one on Sam's arms. Their mechanical arms were cold and harsh to the touch. Even if she was kind of getting rescued by these things, they still felt sort of creepy. And Sam knew she had no chance against five of these things at once. She needed help!

"Guardian!" Sam shouted for Takashi above the whirl and buzz of the robots. "Help!" It was only then that she realized she had no idea what the ghost's name was.

Takashi was by her side in a second. Sam felt a whoosh of air brush against her face as he deftly slashed his sword at the robots on her. The things had no chance against the Guardian. Soon, Takashi was standing by her side with a protective hand on her shoulder as he backed her away from the on coming swarm of robots.

"Thanks," Sam said to Takashi. "That was fast."

For a brief moment Takashi glanced down at the human smiling thankfully up at him. One of his dark eyebrows rose in wonder under his warrior helmet. It was strange, being thanked and all from this human.

Takashi's eyes widened as his senses went on high alert. He grabbed Sam around the waist and dove forward. Sam was too stunned by the move to scream. One second she was standing on her feet. The next, she was in Takashi's arms and flying at a deathly speed up the stairs.

An explosion rocked the house a second later. A heat wave hit Takashi full force. It drove him and Sam into the wall on the stairs. Takashi made sure his body covered hers when they hit the wall. He pressed his body against hers as more heat waves from the bomb raged against them.

"You alright?" Takashi asked as smoke filled the room.

Sam coughed as the smoke filled and burned her lungs. "I'm fine," she choked out. "And I'm not so fragile that I have to be carried. What am I? A baby?"

"You're so weird," Takashi muttered under his breath before grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her up the rest of the stairs.

The robots were taking things more seriously now. Takashi thought for sure they wouldn't risk Sam getting hurt. But it looked like their orders had changed. Maybe they saw that there was no way to rescue Sam. To save the catastrophe that could happen if she was used as blackmail, it could have been decided that both Sam and Guardian needed to be terminated.

It only took a moment for Takashi to process all this information and come up with a plan at the same time. As he did this, he raced down the hallway of the upstairs, dragging the slow and stubborn human who didn't want to be carried behind him. Robots were filling up the space behind them rather quickly. They needed an exit fast.

"Get down!" Takashi suddenly screamed at Sam.

Sam let out a scream as another detonation blasted from behind her. Takashi pushed her to the floor, using his body to shield hers as the first, powerfully hot heat wave crashed violently into them. He knew she didn't like being a damsel in distress, but Takashi wasn't going to take a chance. Humans could so easily die.

Something sharp stuck into Takashi's shoulder as he was getting Sam back to her feet. He winced in the pain the metal weapon gave him, but he had to ignore it as he pushed Sam ahead of him and into a room. Before any of the bugs could come in, Takashi slammed the door shut and leaned against it.

"What are we going to do?" Sam asked, a little panicked and scared. Those bugs were pretty determined to kill both of them.

"They made their darts out of silver," Takashi growled as he yanked out the dart in his shoulder. "They definitely knew a Guardian had captured you. Who tipped them off?"

Sam glanced nervously around the room to find the dim space belonging to Danny. A cool breeze came through a open window. Her eyes returned to the door and Takashi when smoke began to leak under the door and more explosions could be heard behind the closed barrier.

Takashi threw up an arm, creating a large force field that covered the entire wall to prevent any robots from breaking into the room. He stepped away from the door, furiously pressing buttons on his communicator watch. The dog face of Mac appeared a moment later in the hologram projected.

"Oh," Mac said with a smile, "You're still alive. How fortunate was the human?"

"They're using silver, Mac," Takashi quickly reported the news. "We're boarded up in a room at the moment. I have a force field up, but I don't know how long it can last. These things are relentless and they want both the human and I dead. If I go back out there with that silver, I could die. And you know how helpless humans are. She wouldn't last a second after I was gone."

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" Mac asked, annoyed. "I have to send off someone in five minutes. I don't have the time to sit here and watch you get killed."

"Where is the nearest ghost portal?" Takashi asked. "Those robots have orders to be in this time period and area, nowhere else. If I can find a portal near enough, the human and I will be free."

The German Shepherd gave a long, irritated sigh before saying, "Okay. Let me check." His face vanished into the watch. Takashi looked up at Sam to see how she was.

"There's a portal to the ghost zone in the basement," Sam said.

"Huh?" Takashi asked, confused.

A second later, Mac's head popped up. "Hey, genius," he said with a smug grin, "There's a portal right below you."

-Danny-

With wide eyes of surprise and fear, Danny looked up into the shadows of Cloak Guy's hood and the serious face of Theo from where he was pinned down to the ground at sword point. There was a moment where Danny felt the world had been put on pause. All three of the fighters simultaneously pondered their actions in this brief silence.

It was Cloak Guy who broke the stillness first. He lashed out with a foot. It connected with the back of Theo's heel. The half sphinx lost his balance for the tiniest of seconds, which Cloak Guy fully took and turned it to his advantage.

Danny watched in astonishment as Cloak Guy guy grabbed Theo's hand that was around his neck and held the knife, maneuvered his other hand to grab the back of Theo's shirt, and used the young man's moment of weakness to throw him up and over his hooded head. Theo couldn't believe what was happening until he was in the air and slamming into Danny.

Cloak Guy stood there for a moment, inspecting the damage he had created in either shock of his skills or pride. Theo and Danny were a jumble of arms and legs on the deck, groaning in their dizzying pain. Before either of them could recoup, Cloak Guy took off into the air. He was gone in less than five seconds as his form vanished with the use of his ghost powers.

"What happened?" Danny asked once Theo was able to get off him. He sat up in a daze. Theo landing on him had actually made him black out for a second or two.

"We just got our butts kicked, that's what," Theo grumbled, lending his friend a hand. Danny took it with a thankful smile. Theo's ears couldn't have gotten more flat against his furry head. Furious, he growled, "I can't believe what just happened! I had him exactly where I wanted...and I totally blew it!" Both his fists burst in flames with his anger.

Danny didn't say anything. The argument he had just had with Cloak Guy had released a fresh wave of ache from the hole in him. It was true what he had said. Danny didn't blame anyone for the murder. But he so desperately wanted to put the guilt on someone else. He thought he could fix the whole that way. He was wrong.

Danny stared straight at the floor, fighting the frustrating tears that threatened to escape his eyes. He had to control his emotions somehow. He couldn't cry in front of Theo.

"Danny?" Theo said with rare concern in his questioning voice. The fire in his fists went out as the demigod ventured closer to his suffering friend. Was he hurt? What was wrong?

Danny wrapped his arms around his chest, looking up at Theo dispassionately. It was an expression of pure hopelessness. It was in that moment the two made eye contact that Theo saw the full extent of the poor boy's pain. Theo hadn't seen it before. Danny had hid it from everyone so well. Theo commended Danny for his effort for making it thus far, but the kid needed help.

"Oh, kid, I'm so sorry," Theo said in a quiet, sad voice. He took a step forward, and to Danny's complete and utter surprise, Theo wrapped his arms around his shoulders in a hug. Danny found his head in Theo's shoulder. The act of kindness and random tenderness from Theo's part cracked the boy.

The first sob that racked Danny's body made Theo wince. But the demigod never pulled away as he stared out at the pure blue skies and listened to Danny's soft cries. Theo knew he didn't have to do anything more. All he could do was be there for his friend.

At one point Theo had to let out a long breath. He knew Danny would be fine. The kid was stronger than he thought he was. The only thing that pained Theo was the fact that this was going to take a long, difficult time to fix. Theo vowed there and then that he'd be there to see Danny well again.

-Two Days Later-

"I hate this Terra," Zara complained from her spot in the rear of the line. "Too much sand."

Theo grinned evilly from his place in the very front. He had to be at least a few good paces ahead of the group. He glanced behind his shoulder to check up on everyone again. It was the same as an hour ago.

Danny had his head down. The backpack full of water bottles on his back was occupying most of his thoughts. He was too thirsty to think of anything else but the liquid. Melody followed right behind him, spending her time amused by trying to match the ghost boy's foot prints in the red sand. Bob floated aimlessly behind her. Zara was at the end in the form of a camel to help her under these harsh conditions. She looked bored out of her mind. Just like Theo liked it.

The desert Terra of Hephaestus had always been immense, hot, dry, and Theo's favorite Terra. Looking out at the sea of sand dunes and the burning hot sun blazing harshly on the horizon, Theo soaked up the wonderful and deadly landscape that surrounded him. The intense blaze of the setting sun cast long, dark shadows over the painted red dunes. The sight brought cherished childhood memories floating back into the demigod's head of his old life in Egypt.

Theo was the first to get to the top of a rather tall dune that had turned into a mountain. He stopped at the top to look out over the new scene that spread out before him. He waited as the others joined him at the zenith point.

"What _is_ it?" Danny asked after a second of silence. He stared out in wonder of the sight that continued out toward the fading horizon.

"Is that all...trash?" Zara asked, slightly confused. For as far as the eye could see, there were giant mountains of not sand, but garbage. But not the average garbage, only unwanted metal. The entire place was a giant scrap heap.

"Yep," Theo said with a grin. He glanced over to Bob and gave him a high five. "Told you that map room raid would be worth it in the end," he told his green friend, raising the map he had stolen from the Tower for him to see. Bob shot something back. "I did not almost get us killed," Theo scoffed. He added a second later, "That was the emergency raid."

"Emergency raid?" Danny asked, intrigued.

"Vlad was starving me in my room for a week," Theo explained as if this was natural in his life working for the man. Bob added something. "Yeah," Theo said with a nod, "It was a punishment _for_ the map room raid. We got desperate enough to sneak out of the room and steal half the kitchen supply of fish."

"Fish?" Danny said, holding in a laugh.

"It would have been fine if Vlad didn't have some special banquet the next night and needed all that fish as the main course for the dinner," Theo said with a sigh. "It didn't take long for Vlad to find us out. He was pretty creative with that punishment." Bob nodded vigorously.

"What did he do?" Zara asked, suddenly interested.

"He hung me upside down from a chandelier in the banquet hall that whole day," Theo said. "And Bob was thrown into a portal into the ghost zone. He made it back a week later. He claims it took him two years to find the right portal home, though."

Zara clapped her hands in delight. "Yes," she said, grinning. "That was the best bed time story I've heard in decades. Tell us another."

"You have a very sick sense of humor," Danny stated, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Why, thank you," Zara said proudly.

Theo sighed, rolling his eyes. He didn't want to ruin this day with him bickering with Zara. Besides, the last time he had said something smart, she had snapped and freaked him out. He didn't want that to happen again. It was better for all of them if they ignored the Guardian's comments. It let them all work together smoothly.

"Let's keep going," Theo said, heading down the dune. "We can keep going although it will be dark real soon."

"Cat boy can be our beacon of hope in the darkness!" Zara said excitingly. "Our own personal lantern of sunshine."

"Shut it!" Theo snapped back. "Not another word from you, Guardian."

Danny and Zara glanced at each other, breaking out into grins. Theo's ears flattened at the sound of their snickering. Danny was brave enough to say quickly, "Glow boy."

"Okay! That's enough!" Theo exploded. Zara and Danny rushed down the hill together, trying to get away from the wrath of Theo. The demigod watched them go, shaking his head in frustration. It was like taking care of a bunch of noisy kids sometimes.

Speaking of kids, Theo noticed Melody trying her best to get down the sandy dune without falling. It was pretty steep. The poor girl was going to get a face full of sand if she wasn't careful.

Theo slid up beside her with a small smile. He grabbed one of her hands, gently pulling her off the ground. He easily set her on his strong shoulders and began to travel down the slope of sand.

Melody was surprised by the demigod's actions. Theo rarely tried talking or interacting with her. Maybe he was just feeling extra nice that day. That was Melody's only solution. She decided to go along with it. Giggling, she messed with his sensitive cat ears.

"Hey! Cut that out," Theo called up to the girl. But he couldn't keep the chuckle out of his voice. Rhodes always teased him by messing with his ears. The memories of his wife made his mood lighter. He wished she could be there with him now.

"If you're going to sit there on my shoulders, be productive," Theo told the girl. He put up his hands, telling her, "Hang on and help me balance."

Melody let her small hands be taken into his big, strong ones. His touch was extremely warm. She could feel the power in those hands, just like Danny. But Theo's power was well controlled, well hidden. Melody was comforted by this.

Zara, Danny, and Bob had already traveled deep into the mountains of metal junk and were spending their time looking at the random, half finished products that had been thrown out so long ago. Theo let them go off on their own as he took his time getting down the sand dune with Melody.

"At least they're happy," Theo sighed to himself. Melody giggled from above. Theo smiled at the pretty sound.

-That Night-

"You know," Zara said saying, "These garbage piles get really old after the 500th one you see. It's like the desert all over again. Just with too much crap."

It was dark now. Billions of stars were out and shining brightly in the inky black sky. Theo led the way with a fire ball in his raised hand. Danny brought up the rear with eerie green ectoplasm running up and down his arms. The boring scenery of of trash was getting tiring to everyone by now.

"In the center of this mess is where Hephaestus will be," Theo said, map in one hand.

"You sure he's still here?" Danny asked quietly. Everyone looked at him. "I haven't read anything recent on his Terra. No human has escaped this place for five years. And the god didn't show up at the annual god and goddess banquet Vlad always throws for just as much time. Some people think he's gone."

"Yeah, I never saw him at the banquet last year," Theo mused out loud.

"You went to those banquets?" Danny asked.

"Made to, is more like it," Theo muttered. "You know how nerve racking it is to sit down at a table and eat with a room full of high powered ghosts that all don't like you? I don't sleep for days before those things."

Completely ignoring the demigod, Zara was glancing around the trash heaps. She felt some kind of presence there. The boys couldn't feel it, but she knew it had to be another Guardian...a weakened one. Somehow she knew it too. It made her edgy. She had plenty of friends in the Guardian world, but much more were enemies.

The presence was suddenly really close. Zara looked around for it, confused and interested. It was very weak by now, no power at all. But she'd like to check it out. As her eyes roamed the garbage, here gaze came to rest on a dusty lava lamp. She grinned.

"Guys," she told them, rushing toward that pile with excitement, "I found something cool!"

"What are you doing now?" Theo asked, annoyed. He stopped for her anyways. Danny sighed heavily. He was tired from the day walk through the desert. Zara joking around wasn't what he wanted at this point.

Zara picked up the old lava lamp, grinning inanely. She knew who it was by now. She blew the dust away, pushing the grim and dirt of the glass surface. The others grouped around her, half interested in what she was holding.

"What is it?" Theo asked.

"A lava lamp," Danny said flatly. "I've seen plenty of these."

"Not just any old lava lamp," Zara corrected. "This one has a Guardian stuck in it. The worse of punishments for a Guardian. They are trapped in some object till someone gives the dismissal spell. This is rare."

Danny, Theo, and Bob shared dubious looks with each other. A second later, the lamp activated. In a swirl of sparkling purple mist, the Guardian was let out of his permanent prison. It came into focus above the lava lamp, coughing up dust and complaining about his cramped essence.

His form was dressed in a blue suit and red bow tie. His skin was tan and he wore a set of sunglasses. His black hair was put up in a ponytail behind his head. He dusted off his shoulders, seeming annoyed.

"Oh hey," he said once noticing the crowd of shocked faces. He lowered his sun glasses to take them all in. "This might just be my lucky day," he said with an evil chuckle.

"Long time, no see, Norm!" Zara said, grin widening.

Norm cringed at the voice. "Oh joy," he said sarcastically. "It's Zaramama." He looked down at her, shoulders slumped in defeat. He threw a thumb out at the others, asking dully, "How did you end up with these moon faced losers?"

"Hey!" Danny and Theo protested as one.

"Don't mind my new, crazy masters," Zara said with a shrug. "They have this insane notion that they are going to save the world."

"Interesting," Norm said, bored. "Are you going to set me free or not, Zara?"

"Not really," Zara said, her grin turning into a wicked one.

"I guessed that much," Norm sniffed. "Now let me suffer for eternity in peace. Bye bye." He waved with a frown before disappearing back into his lamp. Zara rubbed it again, forcing the trapped Guardian out of his prison a second time in a row. Norm now looked bothered as he snapped, "What?"

"We could make a deal for your freedom," Zara suggested.

"Don't you dare, Guardian," Theo said.

"What do you have in mind?" Norm asked, suddenly very interested.

"Calm down, cat boy," Zara waved off Theo. "I know what I'm doing."

"That's what I'm worried about," Theo muttered. But he let her go.

"How 'bout if you help us out with this Terra, we will set you free?" Zara asked Norm.

"Let me see here," Norm pondered, tone dripping sarcasm. "Either live in this dusty lamp for the rest of my life, or get free. There are just too many options."

"Just say yes," Zara said, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Fine," Norm said, folding his arms across his chest. "I'll take you up on that offer. You better not stab me in the back."

"Aw, Norm, when was I ever so mean to you?" Zara asked in pretend innocence.

"Two thousand years ago. We were both working for pirate lords in the Caribbean. We made the deal to join fleets. A year later, you convinced my master to stab yours to death, sending you straight back to the ghost zone. Remember?" Norm asked, voice unemotional.

"Huh, yeah, that was fun," Zara said with a nod. "Too late to say sorry?"

"Yeah," Norm said.

"Well, I'll try not to betray you this time," Zara said.

"Well, now that you've reassured me of your wonderful character, let's go explore this Terra!" Norm said in fake excitement.

"I like him," Theo said dryly. "Let's go." He turned and walked off, not waiting for the others to catch up.

"You want to hold the lamp, Danny?" Zara asked the boy.

"Hey! Don't pawn me off on some creepy little ghost kid," Norm said. He looked down at the frowning Danny, suddenly changing his mind. "On second thought, he might be more careful with my lamp than you, Zara."

"You can keep it, Zara," Danny said, walking after Theo. "I don't carry stuff that insults me."

"What's his problem?" Norm asked, confused and slightly offended.

Zara shrugged, suggesting, "Must have been something you said."

-Next Morning-

Muscles working at maximum and sweat dripping down his brow, Theo continued his long and arduous climb up the tallest mountain of trash he could find that morning. He had left the group behind to sleep for the next few hours. For him, though, he wanted to see the sunrise.

Theo reached the zenith point breathing hard with a small smile on his lips. He stood straight and tall, waiting for the sun to split across the sky. He only had to stand there for a few seconds to get his reward. Theo took in a deep breath as the red orb broke through the bonds of the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant reds. Nothing was as great at desert sunrises.

The demigod decided to watch the sun some more from the high place. His thoughts wandered off into its usual regions of pondering. He wondered what had happened to Hephaestus if he was gone as Danny had suspected. It could all be very true. Maybe there wasn't a god at all here anymore and they were just looking for something that wasn't there in this giant sandbox.

No. That didn't seem likely. He'd heard some really dark stories about this Terra lately. Most of them about a harsh god. So something was still here. Theo had the odd feeling that he should know the answer. It was a twisted knot of unknown apprehension churning in his stomach. He wished he knew what to worry about.

Didn't take long for his wish to be granted, unfortunately.

Two hands were placed on Theo's shoulders from behind. A familiar power poured out of the fingertips of the stranger. Theo stiffened and cringed in pain as it felt like lava had replaced the blood in his veins. But the pain was nothing compared to the fear that rose in him. He knew those hands, that power!

"Don't move," the stranger said into Theo's ear in a smooth whisper.

Theo's heart slammed into his chest with each erratic beat. It felt like he couldn't breathe all of the sudden. No. This couldn't be. _He_ couldn't be here in this time period. As Theo stared out at the sunrise, he was too shocked and scared to think.

"Don't tell me you didn't see this coming, Theo," the voice said from behind. He moved his hands up to Theo's neck, his power seeping out of his fingertips. Theo took in a sharp breath as white hot pain crippled his movement and thoughts.

"I see you still have it," the voice said, trailing a finger over Theo's scarred ear. Theo swallowed the lump in his throat, breathing hard. He gritted his teeth together to fight off the panic that was swelling up and threatening to take over. This couldn't be happening!

"You still have the mark I gave you so long ago to show the world who you belong to," the voice said, enjoying the sight of Theo squirm underneath him. He put his mouth right to the scarred ear and whispered, "You belong to me, Theo. The Eye of Ra says it all."

A/N: I couldn't just leave Ra out of this fic. He's like to Theo Danny's Vlad. If that made any sense at all. Again, more interesting stuff and no answer to the Cloak Guy identity. Oh, and I couldn't help but put in Norm. Most of you have to be Fairly Odd Parents fans, so I thought that most of you would recognize the dude. He's like my favorite character from that show, so I just had to add him in for the moment. Well, see you guys next weekend with another update. Bye for now!


	25. Chapter 25 Norm the Guide

A/N: Amazingly, the writer's block suddenly vanished. I'm glad its over, 'cause it was driving me insane for this fic. Well, I enjoyed playing with Norm's character this chapter. He's just too awesome. Oh, and no Takashi and Sam in this chapter, sorry. Besides that, this chapter is fun so go ahead and read and enjoy!

Disclaimer: You ride the short bus if you think I own Danny Phantom. Kidding. I don't own any of the Danny Phantom characters or Norm from Fairly Odd Parents.

Chapter 25 Norm the Guide

Danny woke up on his own. He was surprised by this because usually Theo woke them all up before they even had the thought of retreating out of their dream worlds. The boy sat up and stretched, feeling achy from sleeping on dirt and sand for two nights in a row. He rubbed his eyes before taking in the beautiful sight of the morning desert before it got too hot to bear.

"He's gone."

"Huh?" Danny turned his head around to where the little camp fire was smoldering. The group had set up a circle around the fire late the other night. Melody was sleeping soundly on his right. Bob snuggled up under her chin, making himself warm in the cool morning air. On his left was an empty mat where Theo had slept.

Across the fire sat Zara on her already rolled up mat. Norm's lamp was inactive at the moment and sat silently beside her form. With a stick, Zara poked the fire absentmindedly. She had been the one who talked.

"Theo's gone," Zara explained emotionlessly. "I saw him leave early this morning. He hasn't come back."

Danny glanced back down at Theo's empty mat then back at the Guardian. He chuckled at how ridiculous she was sounding. "This is Theo we're talking about," he told Zara. "He can handle himself fine. He'll be back."

"I already followed his trail," Zara said, not looking up at the ghost boy. "It vanished."

"What?" Danny asked, confused by her words. He got to his feet and walked over to his backpack for some water.

"I can't pick it back up," Zara grumbled in response. "It just...stopped. I've never seen anything like it." Danny shot her an incredulous look from where he sipped from a water bottle. "I'm not lying, okay?" Zara snapped at him. "He just vanished. I can't explain how or why. All I know is that captain cat boy is gone and he's not coming back. So we better decide what to do or we're gonna get fried to death in this desert."

Danny shrugged. He knew Theo. The guy could fend for himself. There was nothing to be worried about. Zara was just acting strange. But he decided to let Zara have her say as he said, "We'll wait for an hour. If he doesn't show up, we'll go search for him, okay?"

"We should start now," Zara said, glancing up at the teen.

"We'll wait," Danny told her more sternly.

-Hour Later-

"So?" Zara asked the boy from behind.

"Okay, you were right!" Danny snapped back at her. "Theo's gone off somewhere. I don't know why. Or when he'll be back or if he can get back." The goy was a nervous wreck as he pulled on his hair and asked the Guardian, "What do we do?"

Zara smiled before saying, "I told you so." Danny shot her a deadly glare. Zara chuckled, sitting down next to him and bringing out the lava lamp. "Calm down, kid," she told him. "We'll ask Norm if he knows of people suddenly vanishing into thin air around here. Shouldn't be too hard."

"Great idea. Let's ask the Guardian for advice," Danny muttered sarcastically. He let her rub the lamp anyways and stared off into the trash heap hills that surrounded them. What were they going to do without Theo being there? This was turning into a disaster.

"Jeez, Zara, it's like eight in the morning on a Saturday," Norm complained with a tired yawn as soon as he was floating above the two. "Couldn't you have waited just a few more hours and let me sleep?"

"A lazy Guardian is a dead one," Zara chimed in with a sly smile.

"Yeah, sure. A lot of Guardians have never been stuck in a broken lava lamp for centuries," Norm said, annoyed. "So you can stuff that stupid motto of yours up your-"

"Cut it out!" Danny's bark cut the Guardian off in mid sentence. Norm and Zara glanced over to him, surprised by his out burst. "Theo's missing and all you guys can do is argue? Just ask him if he knows where Theo is, okay."

"Don't get all testy, ghost boy," Zara mumbled back at the kid. She looked up at Norm and said, "Cat boy vanished this morning, Norm. You have any idea what happened to him?"

"He's your master," Norm sniffed. "Go follow his trail."

"Are you insulting my intelligence?" Zara asked angrily, obviously insulted. "I did that hours ago, you imbecile! It just stopped. Vanished. That's why I'm asking you for help!"

"I wasn't insulting your intelligence," Norm said with his usual sarcasm. "I was just calling you stupid." He chuckled at the heated glare Zara gave him before tapping his chin in thought and saying, "Well, having random people disappear can be a problem. You sure his trail was cut off, or did he die?"

"It was cut off," Zara answered with a nod. "I can still feel him, so he isn't dead. He's on this Terra, but far away. We need to know how to find him or maybe even what happened to him."

"There's only one simple solution to your questions," Norm said with a knowing, evil smirk. He waited till both Guardian and boy had their full attention on him before saying flatly, "You two are morons."

"That's it!" Zara growled. "The deal is off." She didn't like getting called stupid by such an insignificant Guardian. He made his comments now because he knew she could do nothing to him because he was confined in the lamp and couldn't get hurt.

"Oh, come on, Zara," Norm protested. "You know I was only joking," he lied with another wicked grin coming to his features.

"I would cram you back in that lamp if I could," Zara threatened him while viciously shaking the lamp in her hands, making Norm's essence scramble and mist over.

"Hey!" he yelled at her. "Stop that! I'm gonna get sick!"

"Good," Zara spat back. She shook it harder.

"ARG! Stop! Both of you!" Danny yelled at the Guardians. Zara stopped from the command in his voice, wincing at the pain that rushed through her essence. Norm held his spinning head, trying to get his double vision of Danny down to one. They both looked at the boy, wondering what had made him so mad.

"You're going to tell us what happened to Theo, Guardian. You're going to tell us right here and now," Danny said, using his rare and commanding voice that he only used when things got desperate. And with Theo gone, the order of things shot, and everyone stuck in the middle of the desert, Danny saw this as the right time to bring his back burner leadership skills into full view.

"Who died and made you god over this Terra?" Norm scoffed, crossing his arms.

Danny suddenly yanked the lava lamp out of Zara's hands and held it high over his head. He grinned devilishly at the horror that filled Norm's face when he saw what course of action Danny had in mind.

"Whoa, calm down, kid!" Norm shouted in alarm. He gave a nervous chuckle before saying, "Let's rethink this, okay? I'm a reasonable guy. Now...just...put me down slowly."

"Where is Theo?" Danny demanded. He didn't put the lamp down.

"Ah, okay," Norm said, sounding highly apprehensive over almost getting his lamp smashed by a kid. "You might not like this answer. So don't freak out or anything." Danny glared up at the Guardian, urging him to hurry it up. "Ra took him," Norm said in a rush, cringing in the fear of Danny's reaction.

Danny's eyes widened in recognition. He froze in pure terror for his friend with the lamp still over his head. Ra? How? What were they going to do? Theo needed their help, and Danny wasn't even sure if they'd change anything now. Ra had Theo in his grasp. Already they could be too late to save him.

"How?" Danny yelled at Norm, shaking the lamp in his hands. "How do we find Theo?"

"No. Stop shaking my lamp," Norm grumbled, highly annoyed by now. "I can't concentrate!"

Danny stopped his violent movements so Norm could talk. There was a desperation in him now. He couldn't loose Theo! What would he do without him? How could he ever tell the news to Rhodes that her husband was gone? He needed his friend so badly right now.

"Jeez, kid, you need to chill or something," Norm said, a little shaken by the boy's recent actions. He inched his essence as far away from Danny as he could with the limitations of his lamp. "Are you _crazy_?" he asked the boy.

"No," Danny answered. But he took the Guardian's advice anyways. He couldn't loose control right now. Someone needed to take the lead and get this group to Theo. He seemed like the only one capable at the moment, so he needed to focus and get the information out of Norm.

"Please, just tell me how we can get to Theo," Danny said more calmly now, but the urgency was still present.

"If you stop using my lamp as your way to get out your aggression, maybe I can give you what you want," Norm said. Danny pinned him with a hard look. "Okay, don't freak out again. I was only kidding. When Ra overtook the old god here a few years ago, he used the few humans on the Terra to build him a city. It is pretty impressive. You remember ancient Egypt, don't you?"

"Yes, it was beautiful," Zara sighed without any interest in this subject. "Your point is?"

"Well, the only place I can think of where your little cat friend would be taken would have to be Ra's city," Norm explained. "But you can't just fly around this Terra in search for it. Ra doesn't want to be discovered by Vlad or any other god or goddess for that matter, so he's cloaked his city. You can only find it if you get there on foot. You understand?"

"Do you know how to get there?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, sure I do," Norm said with a shrug. "But I'll only be your guide if you promise to release me once we get there. There is no way I'm going to see Ra again. He'd kill me if he figured out I helped you guys."

"We promise," Danny said with a hopeful smile. They had the guide. Now all they had to do was get there and rescue Theo. The boy knew that was easier said than done, but at least they weren't totally in the dark here.

"Good," Norm said, grinning. "It will take us a few days to get there from here, so we better start now."

"A few days?" Danny asked. He was alarmed by this news. "We only have water for a day!"

"Not my problem," Norm said with a smirk. "You want my help or not, kid?"

Danny looked at his group with a weary expression. Zara watched him without any expression on her face. Melody looked thirsty and lonely on her mat by the fire. Bob was trying to cheer her up by making faces. Usually they had Theo to whip them all up into shape. They would have already been half way across the desert right now if they had him. How was Danny going to do this alone?

"Let's go," Danny told Norm with a firm nod.

-Two Days Later-

It was hard. Sometimes almost too hard for Danny. Each hour proved to be just as brutal or more than the last one. He lead the group he had over sand dunes and craggy dirt banks and cliffs at a weary, desperate pace. He was hungry, thirsty, and tired all the time now. So was Melody and Bob, and the teen felt sorry for them.

Danny had sent out Zara to scout for water numerous times the first day. By the end of that day, the Guardian had proven her worth by getting them to a small pond of stall water. They had boiled it and put it in their water bottles for the next day. But Danny could see it on everyone's faces. They had no hope of getting out of this dust bowl.

By day two, Bob looked like he was going to melt, Melody had a blistering sun burn that had sent into a dismal state of behavior, and Danny felt like he had failed himself, his group, Theo, and the world.

They all sat down that night at the green, ectoplasm campfire Danny had set up. Their food supply had ran out that afternoon. Their stomachs all ached for some substance or anything that could quell the pangs of hunger. The group was all silent, staring forlornly at the eerie green fire with their own thoughts.

Melody suddenly got up from her place by Zara's side. No one watched or even noticed her as she rounded the fire pit. She stopped by Danny, sighed, and plopped down in his lap. Danny took his eyes off the fire and watched the girl as she curled up in his lap and hugged him closely.

From her place across the fire, Zara smiled slightly at her two masters. She got up and walked over to the ghost boy to sit next to him. He was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a hug and rested her head against his one shoulder.

Danny gave a small chuckle when Bob flew over too and licked him on the cheek with a little chirp. The blob rubbed Danny under his chin, producing a genuine grin from the boy finally.

"Thanks, guys," Danny whispered to his friends, hugging them back.

-Theo-

The scarab beetle's green and golden hard wing case on its back glittered under the warm rays of the rising sun as it sat still on its little branch that belonged to the blooming desert tree on the outskirts of Ra's awakening city. Yards below, Theo stood there looking up at the bug despondently. He'd been up all night capturing these beetles for Ra. This had to be the last one.

It'd been four days since his capture, and he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep the entire time. Being Ra's new favorite slave gave him no time to stop, think, or plan an escape. He was always too busy running around the city doing stupid errands for the god.

Putting the wooden cage full of other sacred scarab beetles down at the foot of the tree, Theo kept his narrowed brown eyes on the bug. He leapt swiftly into the tree with perfect balance. He walked slowly out onto the branch the bug was on, the net used to capture the critters in one hand. This was going to be an easy one...or so he thought.

The half sphinx was seconds away from getting the thing, when the beetle suddenly decided it didn't like its perch and flew lazily off and higher into the tree. Theo watched it go, grumbling curses under his breath. He didn't have the time or energy for this.

"Come on, you stupid bug," Theo growled at the beetle as he climbed up toward it. The thing had landed in one of top branches. As Theo made his way upward, he said, "I personally don't want to capture you and make you into an emerald gem. It's my power hungry, psycho boss that wants you really. So this is just business."

At that moment, Theo struck with his net. The bug evaded capture with a quick whirl of its wings and sped away before the net overtook it. It flew right into Theo's face, snapping its mandible jaws angrily at the demigod.

"Hey, cut it out!" Theo yelled at the beetle. He leaned backwards to avoid getting painfully bit by the bug. He was forced to take a step back and onto another branch when the thing attacked again. Theo kept having to move away, not looking where he was going. What had gotten into the thing? Was it mad?

"I will not be undermined by a bug!" Theo growled at the beetle finally. He raised a fiery hand, ready to burn the thing to a crisp. The scarab hovered a few inches from the the hand, daring the demigod.

_Snap!_

Theo found himself falling. The beetle had maneuvered him out to a thin branch and waited for it to break. Now if Theo hadn't been so weakened from lack of sleep, he would have seen that coming a mile away. But there was nothing he could do now.

_Splat!_

The pig mud pit Theo had landed in stunk to high heavens. Theo winced at the sludgy feeling of the mud as he sunk deeper into the brown, gooey substance. The pain slowly subsided, and Theo kept his eyes closed. He was so tired. For a fleeting second he just wanted to stay there in the mud with the squealing pigs. It would be better than what he had to do now.

It was the smell that did the trick. One big whiff of the stuff made the demigod sit up with a look of disgust on his face. As he searched for his net, he let his mind wander. He wondered what Danny was doing and how he was getting along without him. He almost hoped the boy would be stupid and tried to come to his rescue. Things were so terribly bad here. The city needed someone to be a hero. And only Danny could provide them one.

Theo shook off some extra sludge on his tail, cringed at how much he smelled, and began the long journey back to Ra's palace without the last beetle. If the thing was that smart, it didn't deserve to be taken prisoner. Ra would just have to deal with one less.

Along the way, Theo observed another unbelievable morning of Ra's glorious city. Half of it was nestled in a semicircle valley of rocky mountains. On the other side was a large, flowing river that spread out for as far as the eye could see. In a way it was almost like an ocean, just it wasn't salt water.

The buildings were all made out of mud rocks like the old Egyptian days. Tall, glimmering statues made from pure limestone or rare metals of Ra himself were spread throughout the entire area. Water fountains spouted fresh, cool water and shimmered in the early morning light of the sun. Luscious colored plants grew on the walls of buildings and around the fountains. It was like a desert oasis.

Everything was beautiful, exotic, and just how Theo remembered and loved it. But it all ended there. The people, Ra's slaves, saw no pleasure in their accomplishments of such a wondrous paradise. They had been beaten, whipped, and killed over their work for the city. And it still continued to this day. Ra never gave them an order to stop or rest. His pace had been relentless and hard since day one. There was no stopping him.

Theo quickly made his way through the awakening streets of the city with the cage of beetles in hand. Ra had told him to be there after sunrise, so he needed to book it if he wanted to make it on time. The people in the streets all let him run by them. The young man had a spirit about him that made all the slaves instantly like the demigod. They also all felt pity for him for being Ra's favorite person to push around and treat like dirt. No one wanted that job.

"Oh, wait, Theo!" a woman called out to him as he careened on by in a great hurry. Theo slammed on his brakes and backtracked to the woman who stood at her doorstep with a basket of fresh bread in her hands. Her four little kids all hung to her ratty and tattered skirt, looking up at Theo with wide eyes.

"I gotta go, Abby!" Theo told her breathlessly. He held up the cage to show her. He'd met the lady on his first day when Ra gave him the order to clean his entire kitchen. Abbey was the master chief there and told him where things went. They had become friends, which was easy because everyone here was on each other's side. It was everyone against Ra these days.

"Slow down, tiger," Abby laughed. The sound was like bells to Theo's ears. He loved seeing one of these slaves smile. It always gave him hope for something of a future. Abby reached into her basket and shoved a small loaf of bread into Theo's free hand. "For you," she said with a bright smile.

"You don't have to do this each day. But thanks, Abby," Theo said with a sigh. "You're like a mom." That made both of them laugh. He took a quick bite out it, savoring the flavor before swallowing. "Always the best," he told her.

"Now give mum a kiss goodbye," Abby said with sly grin.

Theo gave her a quick peck on the cheek with a small chuckle. Abby's kids all giggled from their place hanging onto her skirt. Theo winked at them before waving at Abby and taking off in a run. Along the way, he shoved down the rest of the bread.

Arriving at Ra's palace, Theo quickened his already rushing pace. He traveled up the main stairs two at a time, never breaking stride. Ra's guards at the door let the demigod through without questions. Theo hurried through the open marble hallways in search for the god.

"You stink."

Theo jumped at the sound of Ra's voice being right beside him. He stopped in his tracks, looking over to the god. Ra was as tall as ever, well over six feet. He loomed over the demigod with one hand waving the air in front of his nose and making a face of distaste. Theo said nothing. It was better to say nothing than say something wrong when standing next to Ra.

"Walk with me, Theo," Ra said in a pleasant voice. He waited for Theo to begin walking before striding up beside him. Theo narrowed his eyes to suppress a wince when Ra placed his hand on his shoulder. The touch sent blasts of heat rushing through his veins.

"You only brought back seven beetles," Ra began. His voice held a pretend disappointment.

"I couldn't find the last one," Theo lied, looking to the ground. "I thought seven would be enough."

"But my orders were to find and capture all eight in the area," Ra said, shaking his head in feint dismay. Theo didn't respond except for a quick, fearful glance up at the god's serene face. Ra smiled down at him when he caught Theo's gaze.

They arrived at the bathing pool. It was a medium sized room with a calm, tranquil pool in the middle with minerals spread throughout the water. Purple and white lotus lilly pads floated on the surface. The maids there watched Ra and Theo walk into the room in silence, their expressions curious.

"Did you try running away again today?" Ra asked with a chuckle. "Is that why you ran out of time to get my eighth beetle? Pointless, isn't it?" He stopped at the edge of the pool, a smug smile adorning his features. It was one that reminded Theo of Vlad. The two were too much alike for the demigod's taste.

"Nothing's pointless when it gets me away from you for a few extra seconds," Theo shot back with a grin of his own. The sentence had come out unexpectedly. It seemed like sometimes the young man couldn't control his mouth.

Ra's glare declared the grin dead a second later. Theo zipped his mouth shut as he stared intently at the floor. Why did he always do that? He was sure to be punished harshly this time.

"Touche," Ra said slyly. He stepped behind Theo, saying, "You can place the cage here." He pointed to the side of the pool.

Theo didn't hesitate to obey. He quickly placed the cage there and stood back up. Ra grabbed Theo's chin in one hand. Theo cringed at the rush of heat that exploded through skin and muscles from the touch. While the demigod was distracted with the pain, Ra casually hooked his foot behind Theo's ankle and yanked it forward, sending him off balance.

"We'll discuss your punishment later," Ra told Theo, using the hand holding the guy's chin to shove Theo backwards in his imbalance. Theo gave an alarmed shout, pinwheeling his arms to keep himself upright. The god rammed an elbow into Theo's chest to finish what he started. That did the trick.

With a gasp, Theo fell into the pool with a giant splash. The mineral waters rushed up his nose and burned his throat and lungs as he sunk into the dark depths. Theo kicked to the surface, choking and sputtering. He threw himself to the edge and hung onto the limestone brick, breathing hard.

"Meet me in my throne room in a half an hour," Ra told Theo from where he stood right in front of him. Theo had to crane his neck to look up into the black eyes of the god. "But first," Ra added with a smirk, "clean yourself up. I won't have you smelling like a pigsty when your friends come to visit you."

"My...my friends?" Theo asked, astonished. Then anger overwhelmed him as she shouted up at the god, "Don't you dare hurt them!"

"Don't you raise your voice to me, you waste of a demigod," Ra said darkly, narrowing his eyes into dangerous slits of rage. "I'll do what I want with them. Everything that touches this Terra is _mine_."

"No! Keep them out of this," Theo hissed in loathing frustration. He fumbled with the ledge of the pool, bringing his soaking body up and out of the water. "I won't let you-"

Ra cut the half sphinx off in mid sentence by throwing his leg back and kicking Theo hard in the side of his head. The hit sent Theo reeling before blacking out. With a grimace, he hit the water once again and sunk under its cool surface.

Theo came to having multiple hands grabbing him while he was still underwater. They pulled him up to the surface. He gave a long gasp for air, letting the strong arms and hands drag him up over the edge of the pool.

The maids set Theo's body down beside the pool, looking relieved. He'd been underwater for awhile before Ra had left in a flourish of furious snarling curses. Once he was gone, the maids had swooped into Theo's rescue. They had all feared the poor guy had drowned.

"Are you okay?" one of he maids asked Theo after they had set him down. She was dabbing the bloody wound on the side of his head where Ra had kicked him.

"I'm always okay," Theo coughed out instinctively but obviously lying. With his eyes closed, he heard the girl by his head giggle a little at his answer.

"Leave him, girl," one of the other maids whispered harshly to her. "Do you want Ra to punish you too?"

Theo felt and heard the maids all leave him. He didn't blame them. The last time Ra had seen someone try and help him, the god had the young boy whipped. But the fact that they came to help him at all was significant and brave for all of them. He hoped they wouldn't get hurt caring for him.

He hoped his friend wouldn't get hurt caring for him too. But that was a lost cause. Ra knew exactly how to break him...and it would be with the destruction of his friends.

A/N: Dun, dun, DUN! Well, it seems like I've successfully thrown Danny and company into countless disasters. I think I like torturing my poor characters. Why am I so mean? Oh well. I'm having too much fun to stop now. I'll be back next weekend with another fresh batch of peril for our heroes. See you guys then!


	26. Chapter 26 The Killing Solution

A/N: This chapter came out so good, I'm like jumping up and down with excitement. Wow. I'm a dork. Anyways, this chapter focuses mostly on Theo 'cause he's like my obsession and I needed to give him a little spot light. But don't worry. Danny will come back into full view later on. So enjoy the chapter and thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I own everything in this fic except for any Danny Phantom character and Norm from Fairly Odd Parents. Those all belong to Butch and Nick and all those lucky people.

Chapter 26 The Killing Solution

The ghost zone swirled around the Guardian and girl. They both looked back at the vortex of a green ghost portal they had just flown through. A faint buzzing could be heard from the other side where the mechanical bugs were swarming around the entrance. That had been a close one.

"You're glowing," Sam stated after a pause.

"Oh, I am, aren't I?" Takashi said, looking his form over with interest. True to Sam's word, his essence was sparkling and glowing from an inner light. The colors of his clothes were more vibrant, and his skin shimmered.

"Is that normal?" Sam asked, worried.

"Yeah," Takashi answered. "When a working Guardian comes into the ghost zone, their essence soaks up the ghost energies and reenergizes them. The light is my essence fixing itself." He laughed here before saying with a sigh, "This feels good."

"Okay," Sam said, shooting the ghost a strange look.

"Sorry," Takashi said with a shrug. "I haven't been in the ghost zone in 40 years. My essence needs this. I'll probably be a flashlight for a few hours."

"Well, at least I won't have to worry about finding you if I get lost," Sam grinned. She was surprised when Takashi gave a chuckle. He was definitely feeling better with the rejuvenation of his essence.

A small pause followed between the two. Takashi stared out into the depths of his home, pondering his options. Sam awkwardly floated beside him. She wondered what was going through the Guardian's head. So far he was mystery to her.

"So...now what?" Sam asked. "Do we wait here for the portal to come? Should I guess some more?"

"No," Takashi said, narrowing his eyes. "I have a better idea."

"Really?" Sam asked, eyebrows raising in interest. "What is it?"

Takashi turned back toward Sam and flashed her his sinister little smirk. By now Sam was used to that look. What scared her now was that she was beginning to like it. The smile meant the Guardian had something planned. It might not be normal behavior, but that didn't mean she couldn't like it. She wasn't exactly a normal human anyways.

The Guardian took Sam's wrist in his hand before telling her, "We're going to go give Clockwork a little visit."

-Theo-

The throne room was on the top floor of Ra's palace. It was all open to the elements because of the lack of a ceiling. Pillars lined the edges of the square shaped room. Vine-like flowers collected at the top of each pillar, giving the place an exotic type of feel. A throne made out of limestone bricks just like the floor was in the middle, but Ra rarely used it.

Closing his eyes, Ra could see it all. His powers let him see everything the sun touched. He had perfected his powers to see the shadows. Not what was in them, but see them nonetheless. And anything that was lit by sunlight was not as clear, but still a strong visual.

Ra could see every single human, slave or guard of his. He could keep tabs with each person and where he or she was. Everything that was on his desert terra was subjected to the Eye of Ra.

Ra focused his power on a group of people. They were worn down, but far from beaten. The boy in the lead urged his team to move faster, a hope in his eyes as he scrambled up a large dune near the outskirts of the city. Ra knew this small, inexperienced god. Well, he had been smaller the last time he'd seen him. The boy had gotten taller over the years and stronger. But he wouldn't be a problem soon.

Smiling to himself, Ra took his mind's eye off the small rescue team to return to his city. He leisurely spied on the few suspicious slaves and guards, but there was nothing to look at. He was really just checking up on things while he waited for Theo. Where was the demigod?

Ra's eyes snapped open in surprise. He spun around just as Theo's fist was raised from where he was in midair from a death-defying leap across the throne room. The god reacted just in time.

Theo let out an alarmed yelp when Ra suddenly grabbed his wrist and swung him off course and into the limestone floor. The demigod tucked himself into a roll. He came out of it by springing off his feet. With the grace of an acrobat, Theo twisted himself in midair so that landed facing Ra.

"Well, well, well," Ra said with an amused smile. "You're doing much better than the first day, Theo. You almost caught me off guard."

The half sphinx turned his body sideways, keeping his eyes on the god, all the time on the balls of his feet. He mirrored Ra's movements as the god took a few steps toward the misbehaving demigod. This time he would be smart about it. This wouldn't have the dramatic downfall of his first and other fights.

When Ra had first captured Theo, the young man had mindlessly rushed into a battle. It hadn't last long. All it took was a few well placed zaps of power from Ra to take down the demigod. That first scrimmage had left Theo weak and feeling raw after waking up from being knocked out from the god. It took some more fights and being knocked constantly unconscious for Theo to get the picture that if he wanted to defeat Ra, he'd have to be more smart about it.

"I guess since you're here, I might as well as tell you what I have planned for your friends," Ra said smoothly. He took another step forward.

Theo threw a punch that exact moment, sending a fireball out of his extended arm. Ra simply took a step to the side, dodging it completely. As Ra moved to avoid the fireball, Theo rushed forward. At the last second, he threw himself into a roll and went through Ra's planted feet.

Springing out of his roll, Theo released a loud battle yell as he threw his body back at Ra from behind. The god quickly turned around and captured Theo's fiery fist in both hands. Just as Ra had the demigod's wrist in his grasp, he poured in his power into Theo's veins.

The cry of pain came out sounding more like one of anger as Theo spun on one foot, jumped high into the air, and extended his other leg. His heel collided with the side of Ra's head and produced a grunt of pain. The god relinquished his hold on Theo's wrist. Free now, Theo did a few quick, clean backhand springs to give himself some distance from Ra.

"I won't give you time to lay a single hand on my friends," Theo growled at the god. He returned to his fighting stance, glaring daggers at his enemy.

"Is that so?" Ra asked smugly.

Theo's eyes widened in fear and surprise when the god vanished before his very eyes. He swiftly leaned to his right as Ra appeared behind him and threw a fiery punch. The fire from the fist exploded into the air, making Theo wince as he threw himself into a cartwheel.

"And how do you suppose you're going to beat me?" Ra asked. Theo had just stuck his cartwheel and was turning to leave when Ra appeared right in front of him. The demigod slammed on his brakes, coming to a skidding stop in front of his adversary. He jumped backwards when Ra lunged for him.

Then the god was gone again. Theo whipped his head around just as Ra reappeared behind him. With little time to spare, Theo threw himself into a side roll. Fireballs erupted where he used to be. The demigod jumped up from his roll, keeping his gaze pinned on Ra.

"What's the matter, Theo?" Ra asked, grinning slyly. "Where was that original offense? Am I coming on too strong?"

"Shut up," Theo hissed through gasps for air. "Just shut up and fight."

"Haven't you been paying attention?" Ra said. He disappeared and reappeared right in front of Theo. The demigod didn't have time to react as Ra grabbed him by the chin. As he poured in his power, Ra sneered into the young man's cringing face, "This never was a fight. Just some fun sport for me."

Theo squeezed his eyes shut as the pain was too much. He couldn't even let out a cry of agony. Even when Ra let him go and fall onto his back, Theo didn't let out a single sound except for his heavy, ragged breathing.

Everything in him ached and pleaded for an ending. As Theo stared up at the perfect blue sky, gasping for breath, he knew he couldn't live this pathetic life. He needed a solution. It was now or never.

He didn't want to see Danny and the others die under Ra's cruel hand. He would be broken for good that way. Theo wouldn't allow that to happen. He also knew Rhodes would be heartbroken to know he was stuck being the god's slave. What if she came looking for him with the...? No. He couldn't even finish the thought.

The solution was simple. Ra would have to kill him.

"You're a coward," Theo growled at the god. Ra turned around, surprised to see the demigod on his feet. "God of the dessert?" Theo scoffed. "If you were really that powerful, you would have built this stupid city all by yourself like all the other gods and goddesses did with their cities."

Exuding his dark power and fury, Ra walked back toward the demigod. Theo stood tall and defiantly as they glared into each other's eyes. Ra struck quick and hard. His hand came out and punched the demigod forcefully in the chest. It sent the half sphinx flying backwards at least a few yards before rolling roughly to a stop on his stomach.

That one almost did it. For a moment, Theo couldn't move. Some ribs had been broken. A small and weak cry of pain escaped him as he gasped for air from where he was curled up on the floor. Desperate for the end now, the feline struggled to his hands and knees. Ra's anger was never controlled. Theo just needed to keep pushing buttons until the final blow came. That would be easy.

He could barely breath. His muscles refused to work. There had to be some internal damage from that hit. The pain was excruciating. But he laughed anyways. Even with the hard stare of the god boring into him, the demigod chuckled, "Dionysus hits harder than you."

"Your arrogance will get you killed someday, worthless demigod," Ra seethed. He grabbed a fist full of the front of Theo's shirt and pulled him up off his feet.

"Yeah right," Theo gasped, a cruel smile crossing his grimacing features. "You would never kill your favorite slave, Ra. You get too much pride out seeing me break. Oh, but wait, I'm not cracking. Not now. Not _ever_."

"You'll regret that in the afterlife after I break your skull!" Ra shouted in his peak of anger. He threw a hand back. It cracked and sparked with untold power. It was a killing blow. Theo watched the fist wind back as if the action was in slow motion. He was scared, but this was the only way.

Zara would know when he took his last breath. She'd tell Danny. They would stop their search for him and maybe get out of there before Ra got to them. Rhodes would be sad, but she'd rather him be dead than a slave for Ra for the rest of his life. The only thing he would regret would be making that baby fatherless.

"I'm sorry," Theo whimpered, watching the fist swing at him. He hoped it would be a quick death. It would be better that way. The sooner he died, the sooner Zara would feel it and turn the group around.

The fist came in. Theo gritted his teeth, trying to see it out through the end. But it was so hard to see things with the tears in his eyes.

"Sir! Urgent news!"

The voice cut through the air so sharply, Ra stopped his fist less than an inch away from Theo's forehead. The demigod was too stunned to react. He just stared at the fist, breathless. He was too late! He had failed!

Ra was glaring down at his guard that stood awkwardly beside him with news. "What do you want?" he snarled at the guard.

Timid now, the guard stared fearfully at the floor as he reported quickly and professionally, "The ghost boy and his friends were just spotted from the border. They will be here in about an hour." He added after a pause, "You told us to report to you when we spotted them. I'm sorry if I interrupted something."

Ra was silent and contemplative as he glanced back at the trembling Theo he still held up with one hand. The god smiled slightly, realizing finally what Theo had been trying to do. He turned back to his guard and told him, "You came at a perfect time. Let the boy and his friends come closer, then send half my guards to bring them to the palace. Do not underestimate them. Use full force."

"As you wish, master," the guard said with a respectful bow. Then he rushed off, disappearing as he went down the stairs. Ra waited till the man's slap of his sandals faded out before turning back to Theo.

"Clever," Ra told the demigod with an amused smile, "But you're not getting out of this that easily." In a flash of bright light, he transported both of them into a different part of the palace.

It was Theo's prison cell. The box-like, rock walled room had bars for the door that were fireproof. A straw-filled and lumpy mattress that stunk and a bowl for food that was empty were the only other things in there. Ra let Theo go, watching with satisfaction as the demigod landed on his side and refused to move after curling up into a ball.

"You might fight me now," Ra said as he kneeled down next to Theo to place his hand on the young man's shoulder. Theo cringed at the pain in the touch, which made the god smile more before continuing. "But in a few hours, after all your friends are dead, you will call me _master_."

Theo didn't move when Ra suddenly teleported away. His body was too weak and defeated. But it was really that he had lost in his mind. He couldn't think of any plan. His friends were about to all get killed, and he could do nothing to stop it.

Theo's tired mind drifted lazily off into a faint dreamworld. He wanted so bad to give up and sleep, but somehow he kept himself awake on the silly notion of hope. Danny was always hopeful. Too hopeful. But maybe that was what made him such a strong fighter. And maybe if Theo hung onto hope this one last time, things could turn around.

It seemed like hours he sat there motionless and aching. In reality, it was only a few minutes, but his intense pain made the time go by incredibly slow. At some point he felt a warm hand gently touch his shoulder and try and shake him awake. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked up into the kind eyes of Abby the cook.

"Abby?" Theo whispered in disbelief.

"Quiet, boy," Abby shushed him with a tender smile. "Now open your mouth. I need to quickly get this stuff in your stomach. It will heal you faster, make you strong again."

Before Theo could ask another question, a spoon was shoved into his open mouth. It was sweet to all of Theo's taste buds. It tasted like his favorite food, the mango fruit. He'd first tasted one when he was captured by Vlad and attended one of his banquets. After that, he'd steal some from time to time whenever he thought he needed a treat.

After the first taste, Theo let Abby feed him whatever the liquid-like substance was. It was amazing. He felt the great throbs of pain die down to a dull ache with each mouthful of this nectar. He could feel his strength start to return little by little.

"What did you do to the god, Theo?" a new voice chuckled. A man's voice. "Did you _try_ to get killed?"

In between a spoon of food, Theo said quietly, "Yes."

"Oh," the voice said, serious and somber now. "I'm sorry."

"Let's sit you up, hun," Abby said to Theo. Strong arms pulled the demigod up by his shoulders and sat him up against a wall. Theo looked out at his two saviors with sad, confused eyes. Why were they here? How did they get inside the cell?

"Theo, my name is Luke," the man who was there said. He had a flurry of tangled brown hair on his head and kind brown eyes that crinkled with his wry, addictive smile. A long white scar traveled down his jaw line, similar to the one Theo had hidden under his fur.

"Luke is my husband," Abby told Theo as she kept feeding him from a small bowl of white mushy stuff that had to be what tasted so good. "Listen to him, sweetie. He's going to tell you good news."

"Aw, you treat him like your son," Luke said with another wry grin. "I didn't know you two were that close." He was standing in a corner of the cell with his big, strong arms crossed. He was a sturdy and hard worked man.

"Shush," Abby said with a teasing smile. "Now quickly tell Theo why you're here before Ra shows up for the kid."

Luke rushed across the small cell till he was close to Theo and kneeled in front of him, face intense. "Us slaves never were slaves before Ra showed up," he told Theo. "Hephaestus treated us all fair. He let us continue our lives with little interference. The only thing he wanted was to build our city out of his own inventions. And boy was it a city!"

"The point, Luke!" Abby hurried him with a sigh. Her husband could be so long winded at times, but he was a genius and such a great leader.

"Oh, yeah, right!" Luke said with a nod. Theo just sat there, listening with unsure interest. Where these humans crazy? If Ra found them in here, he'd kill them for sure.

"We know of a better life. The slaves are all waiting for the right moment to rise against Ra," Luke explained. "With your friends diverting all of Ra's attention, we have a chance to attack tonight. Our only problem is the guards Ra has. That's where you come in."

"What do you mean?" Theo asked, perplexed. "What can I do? Ra will want me by his side when he kills my friends."

"Actually, we know what Ra does to outsiders here," Luke said in a rush. They didn't have much time left. "I can't explain now, but he won't kill them right away. There will be a time where he will let you out of his sights, though. When that happens, we need your help taking out all the guards."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "How can I take out more than 200 guards all at once?"

"It will be night time, so Ra can't see you and stop you," Luke said with excitement. "You will have full energy from the ambrosia Abby is feeding you. And you will have this." He held up a fist, and Theo watched as the metal staff expanded out from both sides of the curled hand. It turned into a full Bo Staff.

"This staff was made by Hephaestus himself," Luke said. "The weight is perfect for a fighter like you. And this has one special feature." He squeezed the middle of the staff. The edges burst into electrical energy. The volts sparkled and sizzled. "One hit with this bad boy, and those guards are out for the rest of the night."

"Luke, we better go," Abby told her husband wearily. She was at the barred door, waiting for him.

Luke nodded to his wife before taking Theo's hands, returning the staff to its smaller form, and placing the weapon in the demigod's hands. Theo curled his fingers around the object then looked into the man's eyes, feeling helpless even with this gift.

"Don't give up, son," Luke whispered to the young man, the crooked smile returning. Then he got up and joined his wife by the door. Abby used a key she had stolen to unlock the door. The two snuck out of the cell as silently as they had gotten in.

Theo looked down to his hand and opened up his palm to look at the mini staff there. He had been granted a second chance. He wasn't going to let this one go. The half sphinx shoved the device into his pocket, snarling, "I'll never give up."

-Danny-

"Well, there it is, ghost kid," Norm said with a dramatic wave of his hand. "Ra's _wondrous_ city." The last part he said sarcastically in a flat tone.

"Wow," Danny said, surprised, "It does look like ancient Egypt." On the horizon they could see the outskirts of the city Ra had made his slaves create for him. The distant palace and many tall statues loomed high into the sky as if stone gods themselves.

"It will take an hour to get there from here," Zara said. "So let's keep going."

"Whoa, wait," Norm said quickly before anyone could move. "What about that promise?"

"What promise?" Zara asked innocently.

"Cute," Norm muttered down at her before turning to Danny. "You promised, kid. I showed you to Ra's city, you let me free. Well, there it is. Now come on. Order Zara to say the releasing spell."

"Go ahead, Zara," Danny told the Guardian with a nod. "We don't need him anymore."

"I could have gotten us here just as easily," Zara grumbled under her breath. Norm rolled his eyes while Danny shook his head. The Guardian took the broken lava lamp out of Danny's backpack. For a second she stared down at it in deep thought. She finally looked back up at Norm and said emotionlessly, "Looks like you're going home."

A giant grin came to Norm's face at the sound of these words. "Come on, baby," he told Zara, excitement in his voice. "Say the magic words. I got a little corner of the ghost zone with my name on it." He gave a gloating chuckle at the unlucky Guardian before saying, "Like they always say: home sweet home."

Zara sighed, looking back down at the lamp in her hands forlornly. Her homesickness was hard at this point. And here she had to send another Guardian to his place in the ghost zone.

Closing her eyes, Zara quickly whispered the releasing spell. The form of Norm vanished with a puff of sulfurous smoke that made Danny choke. The second Norm was gone, the lamp turned dull and cold to Zara's touch. She dropped the lifeless object in the sand. Maybe one day in a few thousand years it will be dug up and worth millions of dollars as an antique. Maybe she'd still be around then too and would laugh at the stupid humans.

"I...I'm sorry," Danny said softly.

Surprised, Zara looked up at the ghost boy. He was looking down at the sand at his feet and his expression almost seemed apologetic. The Guardian smiled while placing her hand on his shoulder. Roughly, she shook the teen around and told him, "Don't feel sorry for Guardians, kid. I mean, unless you want to come close to death. We don't take sympathy very well," Danny grinned at her.

"It will be dark soon," Danny said, wiggling out of her vice grip on his shoulder. He didn't want to admit that it was bruise worthy as he said, "We better strike Ra when the sun is not up. His power only works when there is light." His tone changed to one of more seriousness as he said, "Let's get Theo back tonight."

"Sounds like a plan," Zara said sarcastically. Danny smiled teasingly back at her, heading off down the dune. Zara watched him go with a dark expression. Her senses had just gone off. Theo had almost died just a minute ago. She didn't know if it was on purpose or not, but she didn't like it.

"Just stay alive, cat boy," Zara said, not audible enough for the human ear. "'Cause I'll kill you if we get there and you're dead."

A/N: Ug. That last part was a little forced and seems like crap to me. I think I put too much energy in the first part and kind of lost it by the end. Oh well. For my next update, I might not make it next weekend. I'm taking a semi vacation to the rainforest in Peru this next week. I'll have plenty of time to type. But I might not be able to get Internet access in time. I think I will, though, so count on next weekend for an update. Hopefully I'll see you guys then.


	27. Chapter 27 The Influx of Plans

A/N: Sorry for the week delay, guys. I had no time on the road trip to write, then I had a little case of writer's block. But I'm good now. For some reason this chapter was a challenge for me. I had little motivation for it. I hate it when that happens. Enough of my ramblings, though. Let's get down to business. Read and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Danny Phantom characters in this fic. But the few that are my own belong solely to me. They come with a big ribbon on them that says Do Not Touch.

Chapter 27 The Influx of Plans

His sanctuary of clogs was like a brilliant orchestra of ticking of intricate gears working perfectly at all times. Eyes old, skin riddled with aged wrinkles, and his beard long and white, Clockwork paused in his castle of clocks to look over his staff. Its repetitive tick was music to the ghost's ears.

In the blink of an eye, the ghost had changed his form from the frail and decrepit one to a handsome ghost in the age of a young man. The dark scar running down his left eye seemed to be the only thing that wasn't effected by the ghost's perpetual influx of the past, present, and future.

Clockwork smiled to himself as he leisurely worked on his staff's clock at the top. Silently, he mouthed, "Three. Two. One." On one, he spun around with his staff ready. His purple cloak snapped from the sudden move. Smirking despite himself, Clockwork held his staff out while saying, "Time out."

He was rewarded with the sight of two still figures who had walked up behind him. One was the human girl who Danny Phantom liked so much. She was frozen solid, as if a wax model captured in time. Her violet eyes stared up at him. Her face was placid. He had paused her before she could have reacted.

The other was a Guardian.

Guardian and human together.

Interesting.

"You _do_ know that staff doesn't work on Guardians?" Takashi said emotionlessly.

"Of course," Clockwork said, putting down his staff and leaning on it casually. "Now how did I know you were going to give me that kind of reaction?" he asked, amused in his own calm and tranquil way.

Takashi sighed from the ghost's jovial mood. He was hoping this meeting would be more serious. He wanted answers, not some game from the all knowing time ghost. Then again, this was Clockwork. All Guardians knew and respected who he was and what he did. Takashi would just have to trust that the ghost knew what he was doing.

"You know all time," Takashi answered the question. "You saw it coming, just like you saw Sam and I coming here."

Clockwork shrank in size as a smile crossed his now buck toothed, child-like face. Still the same intelligent red eyes. Still the same scar. And definitely still the same old Clockwork. "Now," he said with the shake of an index finger, "I knew you would say that too. Your character is a predictable one, young one. I can foresee your reactions from it, just like how you set up your little mind games with those humans you work for. You know how easy it is."

Takashi managed a polite smile. He watched silently as the ghost changed back into his young man form. The Guardian wondered if coming to Clockwork had been the right thing or not. What if this was a waste of time? Would Clockwork ever consider something a waste of time?

"So," Clockwork said with his crooked smile, "Takashi of Osaka. What brings you back home...and with this human girl?"

Takashi sighed heavily, glancing uncertainly to the green wooden floor. He always tried to avoid this kind of show of weakness. The only reason why he said what he did next was because Sam was paused and couldn't hear him.

"Master," he said softly, "I'm...troubled."

"Really?" Clockwork said, eyebrow rising. "How so, young one? Is this lady troubles? If so, I can't exactly help you. Somehow the master of time has never found the time for a girl of his own." The ghost chuckled at his own joke.

Takashi forced out a nervous laugh. The last thing he needed was a conversation with Clockwork about Zara. That would be too awkward. No. He quickly needed to set Clockwork straight, although the ghost was probably just messing with him.

"No," Takashi said. "I mean my situation in the future with Plasmius and the humans."

"Ah! That one," Clockwork said as if enlightened suddenly. "That one is simple." He gave the Guardian a wink.

"It is?" Takashi asked. "But it is so complicated. I mean, I barely know these pathetic humans and I'm risking my life for them suddenly. I don't understand these emotions. They make things so confusing."

Clockwork nodded sympathetically. "Yes," he agreed. "Emotions are hard to deal with. You wonder how sporadic humans are, but really it is just their feelings getting the better of them. But that is not what is really troubling you."

"No, that's it," Takashi said. "I'm pretty sure that's it."

"Pretty sure?"

"Yes," Takashi said adamantly. He looked at the floor as he used his hands to portray what he wanted, saying, "I have looked at this logically, Master. It is elementary. Before Zara and her emotions, things like kidnapping and hurting humans of any kind wasn't a big problem. It was the fact I had to do the chores in the first place that bothered me usually. Now, ever since our switch, I've been so messed up. It's like I have this thing in the back of my..."

"A conscience," Clockwork said.

Takashi's countenance dropped at the realization of these words. After a silent moment between the two, the Guardian broke out into a small grin. He seemed to come to a conclusion. Calmly now, he put his hands in his pockets. "I'm too far gone, aren't I? I'm stuck with these emotions, and there is nothing I can do to go back. Might as well go with it."

Clockwork laughed lightly. "Good decision, Takashi," he said. "Don't be upset over them. They are a natural part of everyone's life. Even a Guardian's. But," here he paused and pinned Takashi a hard stare, "This isn't the reason you are here."

Takashi glanced down at the frozen Sam standing stoically beside him. She was like a stone. It didn't fit the human. Her spirit was too free flowing in Takashi's opinion. It would be a shame if she was stuck in this solid position for any longer.

"Time in."

-Danny-

"This is stupid. Plain stupid."

"Stop complaining."

"You're crazy!"

"I know."

"Something is wrong with you. Humans don't think like you."

"I'm only half human," Danny said quietly, faltering for a small second. Didn't matter, though. He was still climbing the final sand dune. In a few minutes they were all going to willingly get captured, and Zara was running out of excuses fast.

Zara thought for sure that pulling that card would work. But no. Danny was being as stubborn as ever. Now he was forcing them into unnecessary danger. She could get them all around the trap. Did he just not trust her? What was he planning? How did a half human, half ghost teen plan? This was new to Zara.

"What about Melody?" Zara asked.

Danny stopped in his tracks, a frown set on his face. He turned to face the Guardian who had stopped beside him. Melody, from her spot on Zara's back, looked nervously back and forth between her two protectors. She understood the tension in the air, but she didn't know why.

"If anyone asks, you're my Guardian," Danny told her. "Melody is my little sister. Ra doesn't know anything about me. He won't find out. I know what I'm doing. Just trust me. The fastest and easiest way to get to Theo is to get caught. And since it is night and Ra can't use his power, we can escape once we get to Theo."

Zara knocked on Danny's skull with a fist. He shoved her arm away as she sniffed, "I expected it to be hollow. Or maybe its your head is too thick to echo properly."

"You really think we could get this whole party to sneak past these guys and get close enough to Ra to get to Theo then escape from this Terra before sunrise?" Danny asked her flatly.

"Hey! Do not try and use logic like that on me, kid," Zara said with disgust. She threw her hands up in defeat before crossing her arms in a sulk. In a mumble, she said, "Fine. We do this your way. I'm gonna get killed."

Danny shook his head, chuckling a little now as he climbed the hill of sand. As casually as he could muster, he walked along the top of the dune. Zara strode confidently up next to him with a grin plastered to her lips. Danny looked up at her sideways, clearly anxious by this pretend look of hers.

"We do get to fight a little, right?" Zara asked through her fake smile.

"Sure," Danny said. "We gotta make it look believable."

"Good," she said. "Wait for it. Any second now."

"I can't even see them," Danny said. "Wait. Are you pulling my leg about this ambu-."

In a dozen great bursts of sand, twelve forms leapt out of their hiding places in a circle around the four victims. Ra's warriors all came at the group as if it had been perfectly choreographed before hand. They all wielded a sword and shield. The men raised their weapons menacingly as they charged.

"Take care of Melody for a sec," Zara said while shoving the girl into the boy's arms. "I'm gonna have me some fun." Danny opened his mouth in a protest just as Zara changed form and viciously threw herself into the tangle of oncoming bodies with an exotic Inca battle scream. Bob covered his eyes in fear.

Danny let the Guardian do what she wanted. He set the alarmed Melody down on the sand behind him before swiftly jumping out of the way of a downward swing of a sword. Danny suddenly surged forward. In midair, he spun his body around with one leg extended. Heel colliding with the warrior's head, Danny landed neatly beside the unconscious man with a smile on his face.

With a quick flick of his foot, Danny kicked the hilt of the sword that had just been dropped into the air. He caught the blade in one hand, took a lunge forward, and clashed swords with another warrior that had been going after Melody.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I was you," Danny said, grinning despite himself. With a sword in hand, he always found himself extra confident. Add in the ghost powers and you got a very cocky kid. "The girl is off limits, boys. Hurt her and you won't be sitting for a week."

Three of the warriors had heard the threat and laughed at the arrogant teen. All at once, the three rushed the ghost boy. Any normal person would have been at least a little nervous. Danny stood his ground, smirking.

The teen let the first strike cut through him...literally. The warrior watched with wide eyes as his blade swept right through Danny's intangible body as if slicing through mist. The move caught him strictly off balance, and the man stumbled to his knees.

Danny gave a little laugh while jumping high into the air to avoid the second man's swing of his sword. He landed on the blunt edge of the sword once it was swung and made it drop like a dead weight into the sand. The warrior who held it let out a grunt of irritation as his weapon found itself embedded deep into the sand with a little help of some intangible ghost powers.

On the third warrior, Danny decided to fight. He lifted his sword with one hand, wincing as the man's powerful strike downward hit hard and Danny almost lost his grip on the hilt. Ignoring his previous notion of defensive tactics, Danny flicked his wrist to redirect his blade, swung his arm in a circle to throw the other man's sword off his own, and surged forward with a one handed slash.

The warrior used his shield to protect his chest just in time. He backed up as Danny kept his momentum with the slash and spun around into a crouch to built his power up in his next attack. Danny brought in the hilt to his shoulder with both hands and released a battle yell as he lunged forward with a thrust of his blade.

Deftly, the warrior used his metal shield again as his defense. He jumped to the side while throwing Danny's thrust off with the bulk of his shield. While he did so, the opponent swung downward at Danny's now exposed neck.

Danny saw the strike with a small flash of alarm. He used his one leg from the lunge to push himself sideways and out of the range of the blade coming down at him. The boy let out a sigh of relief once getting his feet under him and seeing the sword strike dry air.

"Close," Danny said, throwing his sword to the side. He built up a ball of ectoplasm in the palms of his hands as the warrior charged for him. Usually he'd use his ice powers, but they only worked when there was moisture in the air. Here in the dry desert, there was nothing.

"But not close enough," he said before the release of his ectoplasm ball. The green flare ripped through the air and slammed hard into the unsuspecting warrior. The force of the attack sent the poor guy airborne a few good feet before landing heavily on his back. He didn't get up right away.

"Maybe next time, dude!"

"Danny! Get your skinny butt back over here!"

Danny, rudely interrupted from his fun time, looked up to find Zara standing by Melody and Bob, waiting for him to be done with the warrior. In one quick stride, Danny was by their side. It was only then when he was allowed to look out around and take in his surroundings. The boy saw what was troubling the Guardian.

They were surrounded.

"Well, kid," Zara said with a grin, "You got what you wanted. We are officially doomed. And you successfully fulfilled your quota of crazy in one fell swoop. Congratulations."

"Thanks," Danny muttered flatly back to her. "You're a big help." His voice dripped with sarcasm. Bob actually smiled a little from it despite the dangerous fact that at least 50 of Ra's warriors now had them trapped in the middle of a tight circle. Even if they wanted to escape now, they wouldn't be able to do it without one of the four getting hurt.

"Put your hands on your head and get on your knees!" one of the leading warriors barked at the group as he came forward and out of the crowd of surrounding soldiers.

"You gotta be kidding me," Zara growled in dismay.

Danny was already putting his hands behind his head. He nodded for Melody to do the same. Bob looked at his stubby blob nubs in confusion. "Just do it, Zara," Danny hissed at her. "Do you really believe you could take out all these men?"

"Yes," she answered as if offended by the question.

"Don't," Danny ordered her sternly. "Now put your hands behind your head." As he said this, he got to his knees and waited for Zara to do the same.

"Jeez, you're sounding like Theo," Zara grumbled as she did what she was told.

"At least someone does," Danny said. He watched her go to her knees beside him with relief. He was so afraid she would disobey him and he'd have to treat her like a Guardian and command her to do what he said. He hated having to do that to her.

"That wasn't a compliment," Zara said. She shot the ghost boy a sideways look before vowing, "I'm gonna get you back for this."

A second later, five warriors were atop of Danny. He let out a grunt of pain as they first pushed him forward by his head and slammed it into the ground. Strong hands held him down as they clipped on some ghost power negating handcuffs. The boy was punished for his struggling for when his ghost powers shorted out by getting his head ground harshly into the sand.

Beside him, the others were getting the same kind of treatment. One by one, they were all handcuffed and yanked to their feet. Bob stowed himself away in Danny's pant pocket where he could be safe till they ever needed him. Once secured, the crowd of soldiers escorted their captured toward Ra's city.

Things went fine and smooth till the soldiers actually got into the city and had to go down busy streets full of working slaves. The slaves stared at the captives with worried and tired eyes. They all knew what was in store for the ghost boy in his friends.

Halfway across the thick of the city, the entire party was forced to stop when someone had snuck her way through the throng of soldiers to get to the middle where the captured were. In her hands was a bucket of water with a ladle. The warm liquid sloshed and swirled in its open container, spilling sometimes to the barren, parched earth as Abby made her way through the soldiers.

"You have no permission to speak to the outsiders," the leading soldier barked in his always rough voice to her.

"I'm not gonna speak to 'em," Abby promised the soldier with a defiant sort of air. She finally pushed her way through those around her and briskly walked up to Melody first with her water. "I'm just gonna see to it that these poor souls have at least some touch of energy before they get to Ra," the lady explained in a huff.

"Were you authorized by Ra himself?" the soldier asked. He was getting angry and impatient with this woman coming in and demeaning him and his soldiers.

"Here, cutie, drink this," Abby told the little girl while lifting a ladle full of water to Melody's lips. Melody smiled shyly at the woman before drinking greedily of the liquid. Abby watched Melody drink with sad laden eyes. How on earth did a child get pulled into this mess?

Standing back up, Abby rested her bucket on her hip and gave the lead soldier a look that right away made the man begin to sweat. "Of course I have his authorization," she said with a boldness that would take any slave by surprise.

Abby was hasty to move onto Danny. She stuck her head close to his to whisper quickly, "Go along with whatever Ra does to you. We have everything under control. Trust us."

Danny's eyebrows knitted together as he heard this while drinking his share of water. The stuff tasted so good compared to their boiled water that had ran out a few hours before their capture. He didn't want to waste any of his chance with the water, but he was too interested to keep from asking questions.

"Where's Theo? Is he okay?" Danny asked fervently.

"Quiet!" Abby hushed him quickly. Her eyes darted around to make sure no one heard her or Danny's questioning. "He's fine," she reassured him. "Just remember what I said." The boy nodded slightly. Abby hurried off to Zara who was behind him.

"My essence feels fine," Zara told the woman curtly. "I don't need water."

"But I have something for you, Guardian," Abby said as she slipped a rolled up piece of paper out of her sleeve. "Where can you hide it?"

"Why should we trust you?" Zara asked her rather bluntly. Her golden eyes bore into Abby's wide gray ones. The woman didn't have the time to answer such a question.

"You are not allowed to talk to the prisoners!" the soldier ordered Abby in a furious yell. He marched his way toward the two, a suspicious frown set on his sweaty face. Abby gasped while spinning around in panic. Her dark brown locks flew around her head as she spun so suddenly. She hated to so obviously hide the paper behind her back as she searched for a solution.

"Press it into me," Zara growled under her breath. It couldn't hurt to go along with these slaves' plans, whatever they were. But she sure did hope they were not going to count of Danny and her to save them from Ra or something. She had drawn the line with those pathetic bunnies on Aphrodite's Terra.

Without even glancing up at the Guardian, Abby obeyed by shoving the paper document into Zara's stomach just as the soldier stopped in front of her. The Guardian twisted and reshaped her essence so as to absorb the paper. Just as the paper was sucked into Zara's form, the soldier grabbed Abby's arm with the hand that was behind her back and yanked it into full view.

"What did you think I was doing?" Abby smirked up at the soldier as he examined the empty hand in wonder.

"Leave," the soldier snarled at her, letting the arm go with a flabbergasted flourish. Zara grinned evilly at the man, winking at him when he looked up at her. As Abby left with a relieved little sigh, the soldier took a step closer to the Guardian, got in her face, and hissed, "And I will not stand any tricks from you, slave!"

"Oh, of course, sir," Zara said a condescending nod. "Absolutely no tricks, sir." She two-finger saluted the man, a smile flashing to her pretend serious face.

"Good," the soldier said. A second later he noticed the free hand used for the salute and a look of shock seemed to come in waves over his face before he yelled at the Guardian, "I told you no more tricks!"

Zara quickly placed her hand back into the cuffs behind her and put on a contrite face. "Terribly sorry, sir," she said, nodding like a toy bobble head.

"Just move!" the soldier screamed as he shoved the Guardian ahead. Zara stumbled forward from the push and slammed a shoulder into Danny. He looked over to her, surprised and confused until he saw the inane grin on her face.

"Try not to get us killed, alright?" he told her in a harsh whisper.

"I could tell you the same thing, but I think I'm too late," Zara spat back, walking ahead of him with a sashay of her hips. Danny watched her go, resolve deflating like a dead balloon. Even his shoulders seemed to droop with defeat. What was he going to do with her?

The soldiers took the group of prisoners to Ra's big palace. Danny looked up at the looming blocks of limestone, in a way impressed by its bulky built. While most rooms were open to the public eye with merely pillars with hanging plants, a lot of the place had ledges for guards to be standing and stationed on as lookouts. The men standing guard on the building were all observant as they watched the soldiers bring in the captured ones.

The insides of the palace was as just as grand as the outside. Silk drapes blew in the quiet breeze from open doors, windows, and garden filled hallways. The smell of different perfumes were pleasing to Danny's nose after smelling nothing but his own gross and sweaty body oder for so many days without a shower or bath. Torches and oil filled lamps hung on pillars and the tastefully painted rock walls. They casted a warm glow upon the crowd of people as they made their ways through the palace.

Danny had to catch his breath when they arrived at the other end of the palace and stepped out into the night again. Behind the palace was an indent of earth as if a giant egg had been crammed into the ground. Stairs lead down to the flat center point. All along the curved, escalated sides were carved out seats that were quickly being filled with slaves on one end and faithful soldiers on the other. The place was big enough to fill thousands of people, like a football stadium from Danny's home. The sight was amazing.

But what was it for? Danny gulped down a lump of fear that had formed in his throat suddenly as he realized what was going on. Ra had been expecting them. He had something planned for them. That didn't sit well with the ghost boy.

Danny was prodded down the stairs along with Zara and Melody. There were many stairs to go down, and the trek was a little treacherous for someone handcuffed. Many times the teen almost slipped and cracked his head against the rock but was firmly caught by the many hands of the soldiers and then shoved roughly ahead.

It was only when they had finally made it to the center point of the dome that Danny saw the platform that had been set up there. It was a small stage like thing made out of the same heavy limestone material that Ra liked so much. Danny was sure his slaves weren't as fond to it as he was though.

The stage wasn't the thing that attracted Danny's attention. It was the two people on it that made him perk up. Standing tally and confidently on his high platform was Ra himself who looked over the crowd with a pleased, proud smile but with a callous gleam in his black eyes.

Standing next to the Egyptian god was Theo.

Danny and Theo made eye contact in that instant. Theo watched Danny and the others with an impassive face, but his eyes told the true story. They always did. He was scared and shaken. This didn't phase the ghost boy, because he saw the fire in that gaze. The young man wasn't defeated. That was all Danny wanted and needed to see.

It took a while for everyone to settle down in the stands. The very few slaves that had shown up for the event were restless. Less than a hundred were there to see what was going to happen to the new outsiders that had been captured. The stands with the soldiers in them had a little more numbers, but the place obviously wasn't as packed as it could have been.

Where was everyone?

Danny, Zara, and Melody were all put into a group in the middle of the flat area with the stage. They all watched in weary confusion as the soldiers all stepped away and took their seats in the stands. Zara's gaze traveled around the seats, trying to gauge the danger factor, escape routes, and calculate their chances of getting out of there...which was turning out to be rather slim. Danny, on the other hand, was focused entirely on Ra and Theo.

With a simple raise of Ra's hand, the entire stadium fell deathly silent.

A/N: Somehow I stuffed in a sword fight this chapter. I didn't even plan it. Just kinda came. And that was the first time I think I ever wrote Clockwork's character, which is sad 'cause I'm like obsessed with his character. Well, I'll be updating next weekend. It will be a fun chapter. I'm excited to start writing it. See you guys next week!


	28. Chapter 28 A Death Sentence

A/N: Sorry again for another delay. I've been having trouble getting so many chapters out each weekend, so I have a new system now that I will explain in the ending author's note. So, to make up for the little delay, I made this chapter a little more longer with an fight scene at the end that I really didn't want to put on the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Any Danny Phantom characters in this fic are not mine.

Chapter 28 A Death Sentence

"So you understand now?" Clockwork asked. He had just explained and shown Sam everything that now concerned Danny Phantom. And it was a big load.

Sam felt a bit dizzy. This was all confusing and scary for her. Somehow her boyfriend had taken the job offer from Theo to go help what remained of the future after Vlad Plasmius and other ancient Greek ghosts had practically destroyed it and taken over. No wonder Takashi had found the duty of getting her to guess everything difficult.

"Um, yeah," Sam said with a weary nod. The words got caught in her throat when she tried to speak again. The emotion had swelled up inside her for no apparent reason. She had to force herself to calm down, give a sigh, and start again.

"It is just a lot to take in all at once, I guess," she told Clockwork. "I mean, to me it looks like he's taken on a job that's nearly impossible."

From his place behind her, dribbling a soccer ball off his knees, Takashi said, "For a human, she's pretty smart." Sam shot him a small glare. His eyebrows rose in surprise. "What?" he asked her. "That was a compliment."

Clockwork waved his staff over the clock face where he had shown Sam some of the things that were happening in the future. The pictures playing stopped and the surface returned to display the numbers and hands of the clock. The ghost glanced over to the bickering human and Guardian with a knowing smile before waving the staff over the clock again. It bubbled into the picture of the Infimap inside its case on level 55 of Vlad's Tower.

"Everyone's problems center around this one object," Clockwork said.

Takashi and Sam stopped whatever conversation they were having to look over to the ghost and see what he was talking about. Takashi caught his soccer ball in two hands and walked over with Sam to the vision of the Infimap.

"Ironic, isn't it?" Clockwork asked them, "That something made with good intentions has such a bad outcome."

"Why did Theo make it?" Takashi asked with narrowed eyes. All he had seen from the Infimap was destruction and evil power. With it, Vlad had taken over everything and kept his world just the way he liked it. If a group of rebels were conspiring against him, all he had to do is send a few Guardians to that place using the Infimap to take them out. Plasmius didn't even have to know where they were. The Infimap would do the job for him. That was how the ghost had kept his rein for so long and so strong.

"I told him to," Clockwork said with a smirk. Takashi slowly looked up at the ghost with confusion spreading across his usual calm and unemotional features. "The Infimap was made to help others. Sam understands the good it can do. Her and the ghost boy have used it many times for their benefit while ghost fighting. They haven't always used it wisely, but never for the evil intentions Vlad Plasmius has used it."

Takashi returned his dark gaze to the Infimap. His shoulders shrugged as he said carelessly, "Sure, but what can we do about it? Vlad has it now. There is nothing we can do unless I go against his will, steal it from him, and get myself killed."

"You see, that's where all you Guardians are alike," Clockwork said with the shake of his old, bearded head. "You were never the ones to stick your necks out to help or save others unless it was an order or your life was on the line."

"That's what keeps us all alive," Takashi said with a grin.

"True," Clockwork said. "But that also made you a very selfish and cruel race. That's what made you Guardians emotionless. To survive, you had to hide that part of yourselves until the very thought of having feelings was foreign."

Sam looked up at Takashi's still form that still stared into the depths of the picture of the Infimap. Did he miss not having any emotions? Was life better without them? She wondered what he was thinking as he stood there silently.

"What is your wish, Master?" Takashi asked in a quiet, steady voice.

Sam's eyes went wide. Before Clockwork could say anything, she asked, "Master? I thought Vlad Plasmius was his master?"

"What most humans might not know is that I am the Master of all Guardians," Clockwork explained to her. "I was here before anything was born. Before the human world. Before the ghost zone. Because I live here in the ghost zone, I have command over all Guardians, who are the true inhabitants of this world. I monitor over everything they do, and I am the one responsible for their actions when they are summoned to work in the other plane."

"So if you commanded uh...whatever his name is to do something, even if it goes against what Vlad told him, he still has to do it?" Sam asked with hopeful eyebrows raised in question.

"Correct," Clockwork said with a nod. He grinned before adding, "And his name is Takashi. Takashi of Osaka." Sam's cheeks burned red in embarrassment of not knowing the Guardian's name, but at least she knew it now.

"So you could technically command Takashi to steal the Infimap from Vlad and return it to Theo?" Sam asked. She was beginning to understand where Clockwork was taking this.

"Technically, I can," Clockwork said. He was a little impressed and slightly amused by how quick witted the girl was.

"That's crazy," Takashi butted into the conversation, acting as the kill joy. "The second I completed the job, Plasmius would kill me."

"That won't be a problem if Vlad Plasmius is preoccupied with a certain ghost boy," Clockwork said slyly.

-Danny-

Danny's eyes pulled themselves off Theo to Ra when the god raised his hand. The crowd hushed to a complete silence. Zara had to grit her teeth together to keep from bolting out of there. This was just ridiculous. She didn't know why she was even still there dealing with Danny and his stupid ideas.

Ra looked out over his crowd for a moment as if to soak the attention and the stares all in. It was clear he loved the power he had over these people from the look of evil glee in his black eyes that scanned the small crowd of slaves and faithful soldiers.

"You have all come here to watch the display of punishment I give to those who are dangerous outsiders," Ra's voiced projected up and out over the crowd. He pointed an accusing finger at the group in the middle. "These outsiders have come here to destroy and ravage the perfection of my magnificent city."

The words produced two kinds of reactions. The slaves all sat fitfully on their rock seats. They only frowned and shifted uncomfortably more when they heard this. On the other side of the arena of seats, the soldiers were the complete opposite. They broke out into cheers and clapping when they heard the words of their god.

Before continuing, Ra let himself express a smirk. "Now," he addressed them, "I am a fair god. With me as your ruler, I have made a rich and progressive city for my people. To think that anyone would be so jealous to try and disrupt something so good makes me sick."

The soldiers all booed and yelled angrily down at the group in the middle. Zara decided to at least make a good show out of it by sticking her tongue out at the crowd, laughing at their insults. Danny watched her, indecisive between being concerned about her behavior or laughing along with her.

"Because I am fair, I must punish those who wish so much hurt to my beloved people," Ra said. This brought more cheers from his followers. The slaves stayed silent. They knew the price they would pay for reacting negatively.

"But first!" Ra had to shout to be heard. Everyone died down for him. He gave a pause for suspense before announcing, "First, I will spare the child."

Theo's eyes widened in surprise as Danny's face blanched in fear. Zara didn't react at all except for looking up at the god with interest. Melody hid herself from the dark gaze of Ra by standing behind Zara's legs. She knew he was talking about her. She would rather be with Danny and Zara than with the man.

"The child is too young to understand her actions," Ra explained to his questioning soldiers. "I will spare her life and make her one of us." Without looking behind, Ra shouted, "Theo!"

The young man hesitantly took a few steps forward so he was standing beside the tall man. His heart slammed hard against his chest as the apprehension grew. "Yes?" he asked.

"Fetch the girl for me," Ra ordered.

Theo looked quickly to the group. Danny stepped a little in front of Zara and Melody protectively. He slightly shook his head no. There was no way the boy was going to give the girl over to Ra.

The demigod glanced back up at the god. He was torn inside. But he made up his mind in the end and jumped off the platform. The dirt crunched under his shoes as he walked at a steady pace for the group. He gave Danny a stern, chilling glare the entire time he walked.

"Theo, don't do this," Danny hissed in a whisper the second Theo stopped in front of him. "You know she's better off with Zara and me."

"Move, ghost boy," Theo whispered with as much intensity. He planted a forearm on Danny's chest and forcefully shoved him aside to get to Melody. The teen fought back, refusing to let Theo through. Fed up, the demigod growled menacingly into his friend's face, "If you make a big scene, Ra is sure to kill her. Now let me do this."

Danny glared back, but he did what he was told and backed away. Theo flashed him an apologetic look before reaching out for Melody. Zara cut him off before he could do anything. Theo gulped down a lump of fear in his throat at the menacing narrowed stare she gave him.

"If she dies, so do you," Zara vowed, voice barely a whisper. Theo's acute cat ears picked up the threat in it just the same.

Theo kept staring into Zara's eyes as he grabbed Melody's hand and slowly began to pry her away from Zara. The Guardian knew she had gotten her point across and so relinquished herself from her little master. She gently pushed the girl toward Theo and gave her a nod for reassurance because humans always needed stuff like that.

"Come on, Mel," Theo whispered into Melody's ear. He engulfed her small hand in his as he said, "Don't let go of me until I tell you to. Alright?" Melody nodded in understanding. Theo headed back to the platform with Ra on it without looking back to his friends. Melody clung onto his one hand and stole darting glances behind her shoulder to her Guardian and Danny. What was going to happen to them?

Once Theo and Melody were back on the stage and standing beside the god, Ra raised his hand again for silence although there was hardly any conversation going on. He let the silence of the night leave the air in suspense before speaking again.

"I sentence both of you to death!" Ra announced in a loud, booming voice that echoed throughout the arena.

The soldiers cheered as the rumbling of the earth began. Zara and Danny looked around in confusion suddenly. Theo watched the ground underneath the the two begin to sink into the earth as if they were on an elevator. It was a circle of a patch of dirt that was being lowered at a steady pace.

"What-what are you doing?" Theo asked Ra, the fear clear as day in his voice. He didn't expect any of this. Things were spinning out of control at a rapid pace.

"Before he even built his pathetic city, Hephaestus created his labyrinth under it," Ra told Theo with a pleased grin spreading across his lips. "Of course, we can't guarantee that your friends will die in there. But it can act as a prison just as well. And for the record, no one has ever made it out alive."

Theo stared at the retreating form of his friends with a heavy heart. It was hard for him to breath through his fear, but he kept it together as he watched them disappear into the ground. Melody tightened her grip on Theo's hand as soon as they were out of sight. He pulled her closer with a sad expression on his face. He hoped Abby and Luke knew what they were doing.

-Meanwhile-

"This is great," Zara grumbled. "Just freaking great." She shook her head while taking off her handcuffs and throwing them to the floor that was still descending into the ground. The craggy rock walls kept moving with each passing second.

"How was I supposed to know he'd send us to the center of the earth?" Danny exploded. "All I did was what that slave woman told me to. Thought she was on our side."

"Maybe she didn't expect this kind of a crazy result either," Zara pointed out with a dramatic shrug. She walked around the still cuffed ghost boy, her brain working on overdrive.

"She seemed like she knew what she was doing," Danny said wearily. "Even Theo looked like he had it together. Like he had a plan stashed away somewhere in that big head of his." In a bitter whisper, he added, "Guess not."

"Cat boy's head is always full of hot air," Zara stated. "You were stupid to trust his fake body language." She shoved the teen backwards by placing a hand on his forehead and pushing him forcefully off balance.

"Hey, stop!" Danny yelled at her. He had almost fallen into the wall.

Zara laughed at the aggravation in the boy's voice. She sneered into his scowling face, "What are you going to do? Command me to stop pushing you around? You a baby all of the sudden?"

"Why do you always do this?" Danny asked her, flabbergasted. "You always act so mean. Why? I don't do anything to you and you still treat me like...well like crap sometimes!"

"Maybe I just don't like you," Zara giggled as she kept circling him. The shaft began to get dark as the fire from the torches on the surface was cut off and they were faced only with the stars fighting against a dark sky. But even that light was fading as they kept going downward and the hole above them got smaller. Zara played with a green ectoplasm fire in one of her hands to keep the shaft illuminated. The eerie color made her shadowed features flicker ominously.

"Sure," Danny said sarcastically. "I understand you completely now."

"Good," Zara said. She stopped right in front of him and crossed her arms. "Now we're square." With her hand with the ectoplasm on it, she outlined a square with a forefinger. It burned green before fading away.

"Great," Danny shot back. He struggled in his handcuffs that cut off his powers until he realized something and stopped dead in his tracks. He glanced up at a grinning Zara. She looked wickedly pleased at the sight of him. "Can you please get me out of these cuffs?" he asked without much hope.

"I don't like you, remember?" Zara said sweetly. She took his chin in one of her hands and said, "You're gonna have to command me to take them off. But I know how much you want to keep me as a 'friend'. So I'm guessing this gonna be a pretty entertaining next few hours."

"Come on, Zara," Danny pleaded with a sigh. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am, ghost kid," Zara said, releasing his chin by pushing his head to one side. "You can make your decision now, Danny. Either see me as your Guardian and command me to take the cuffs off, or sit back and rely on me as your friend to get us out of whatever mess you have put us in. Go on. Tell me which one it's gonna be."

The platform finally came to a stop. Danny almost fell as the floor under him slammed to a sudden halt. He managed to keep his balance, though. Zara didn't even look around at the moist brick walls of the immense workings of the labyrinth or even as the shaft above their heads was cut off from view when the ceiling grew and patched up the hole.

"We don't got all century, ghost boy," Zara said. She tapped her foot with impatience and gave him her piercing stare to hurry the boy up.

Danny deflated with a heavy sigh. His eyes lifted to meet hers as he said, "Get us out this mess, Zara."

"Still so trusting," Zara laughed in delight. She grabbed the boy's shoulder and pulled him to her side to sling her arm around his shoulders. He didn't feel as comfortable in her grasp as he wished he was. "Such a cute little emotion," Zara mused out loud.

"Please tell me you actually know what you're doing," Danny said with worry.

Zara pulled the scroll Abby had given her out from her stomach with a small flourish. She snapped it open with a quick flap of her arm and let it unfurl down between them. Danny smiled a little, glad to know the Guardian wasn't talking out of her butt like she always seemed to do.

Both their smiles dropped when they began to read what was on the scroll...and had no idea what it meant.

"I'm lost," Danny said. "Is this a map?"

"No," Zara corrected him. "Of course not."

"Then what is it?" he asked in surprise. He could have sworn it was a map.

"It's stupid," Zara said with all conviction. "And ugly."

"We're doomed," Danny moaned.

-Theo-

The ceremony had ended. The soldiers and slaves had all left the arena after Ra did. The god had commanded Theo to leave Melody off with Abby then report back to him in his throne room in a half an hour. The young man hadn't said anything. It was all he could to control his anger. He so badly wanted to jump on top of the man and rip his throat out.

The demigod had said nothing and only glared at the ground when he made his way back up the steps and toward the palace. Melody still clung to his hand and kept stealing little glances up to his stone-like face. She was scared, but she didn't know why. She didn't know how to portray the emotion to Theo besides crying, but she didn't feel like crying yet. She only did that in real scary situations.

"Cool off right now, Theo," Abby's voice cut through Theo's crazy thoughts as she strode up to his side. The young man looked over to her with a cold glare, but he still didn't say anything. Abby hissed in a whisper at him, "You are foolish if you believe right now you can defeat Ra by yourself. I _know_ you are mad, but that gives you no excuse to be stupid. So cool down right now before you make any decision."

"He just sent my best friend into the labyrinth," Theo growled at her. His ears flattened against his head, perfectly in-sync with his emotions. "I have a right to be angry."

"Then don't take it out on me," Abby shot back. "Or the poor child. Can't you see that she's petrified? Are you really that clueless?"

Theo looked down at Melody for the first time since the ceremony had ended. He felt a twinge of guilt for totally forgetting about her in his surge of rage. To make up for it, he pulled her up into his arms and balanced her on his hip as he and Abby continued climbing the steps out of the arena. She pressed up against his warm fur to feel comforted by his power.

"You sure you can do this, hon?" Abby asked him seriously. "If you're too emotional, you-."

"I can do it," Theo cut her off. He let out a long sigh to calm himself down before speaking again, this time more controlled. "I've already plotted everything out in my head. I estimate that it will take me at least fifteen minutes to take the guards all out if I have no disruptions."

"That's pretty fast," Abby said, impressed. "What will be your signal for when you are finished?"

"No signals," Theo said with a firm shake of his head. "Too obvious. Just do whatever you have planned twenty minutes after I leave you."

"What about the girl?" Abby asked him. She was deeply concerned about the child's well being. Maybe it was just because she had kids of her own that age and her motherly instincts were taking over.

"You need to take her," Theo said. "What I'm doing is too dangerous."

"I can keep her in the house where the rest of the kids are being kept," Abby said. "She'll be the safest there. You don't have to worry about her."

Theo gave her a weary thank you smile. The two stopped at the top of the arena before going into the palace. Theo gently began to pull Melody off him. She clung desperately to his chest, refusing to give him up.

"Listen, Melody," Theo whispered softly to her, "I need you to go with Mrs. Abby, here. She is a nice lady and will keep you very safe." Melody looked over to Abby, who was smiling sweetly at her. She still didn't relinquish her hold on him. "Please, Melody," Theo said, not knowing what to do.

"Come on, sweetheart," Abby whispered in a warm, motherly voice to the child. The woman gently took the girl in both hands. Melody seemed to melt with these mom-like actions. Not even Zara pretended to be this way. She quickly let go of Theo and let the lady set her on the ground and take a hold of her hand.

"How'd you do that?" Theo asked in awe.

"Hon, when you've had one of your own, this stuff is easy as pie," Abby bragged. "You got a girl, Theo?"

"Yeah," he answered with a nod. The memory of Rhodes made him smile a little.

"Then you'll see how easy it is real soon," Abby laughed. Theo grinned in embarrassment as his cheeks and ears burned red. Abby had her fun before placing a hand on the demigod's shoulder and telling him seriously, "You take care of yourself, boy. Don't worry about your friends or the girl. Just do your job. Luke and the rest of us humans will do the rest."

"Consider it done," Theo said, tone dark but confident.

"That's my boy," Abby whispered before briskly taking off into the palace. Theo watched her walk away with Melody in tow. Both their forms receded down the dark hallway. The young man waited till they were gone to wipe the hopeful smile from his face.

It was time for business.

Theo started to walk around the palace building. His eyes harshly scanned the five floors of the palace. Mentally, he took stock of the guards on their ledges all acting as lookouts that night. Their metal masked faces all followed his form as he walked with calculated steps across the cool, soft sand.

Suddenly Theo stopped walking and sprung up toward the palace wall. The half feline only had to grab one small handhold in the limestone brick to propel himself up to the second floor. The guards all got their spears or swords ready when they watched him soar up toward them.

In mid air, he took out the Bo Staff Luke and Abby had given him in his prison cell. It extended into its full form with a quick twirl. Theo landed in a kneel on the small parapet with three guards on it. He activated the electrical device in the staff the second before he rammed one end into the stomach of the guard to his left then did the same a second to the one on his right.

The two guards slumped to their knees and passed out a moment later. Theo was impressed by the power behind his new weapon. It had done the job quite nicely. Hephaestus always made top quality.

"You're next," Theo growled at the third guard. The guy stood there, stunned at the alarming sight of the swift take downs. Theo didn't wait for him to get over his shock. He leapt right toward the man, swung his staff back, and cracked it across the guard's head as if he was at batting practice. Didn't matter that he had a helmet mask. The electricity took care of that problem.

Theo didn't wait to see if the guy was out. It was pretty obvious already that the guy wasn't going to be getting up soon. The demigod instead jumped swiftly to another ledge that was on the corner of the palace. He rounded it while swing his staff, nailing another guard in the face. Theo shoved a foot into the man's metal breastplate and kicked him right off the building.

Another similar parapet with more guards was on that side. Theo jumped down to it while vertically lowering his staff in front of him. It slammed violently into another guard's skull before Theo landed on his shoulders. He pushed off the man's shoulders to flip backwards and land facing the other two guards there.

No time wasted. Theo surged forward just as his feet made contact with the floor. He deftly ducked the swing by a guard's sword. He spun around while coming back up from bending down. The staff connected with the guard's neck and drew a strangled cry that was muffled from the mask.

The last guard's staff narrowly missed the demigod's face. Theo dodged to one side just in time. He blocked the shaft of the spear from hitting him with his staff before spinning into a roundhouse kick. The heel of the demigod's foot hit the side of the guard's head and made the guy stagger dizzily to one side. Theo landed and then finished the man off by driving the end of his staff into his forehead.

It was time to move one once again. The element of surprise was over. The best thing for Theo to do was to keep moving. Things were only going to get more difficult. These guards could be pretty tough if they weren't so surprised like the first few ones.

Theo avoided the balcony with the hanging gardens. The place was too open for the moment. And there were too many guards. He could get cornered there. So he moved onto the third floor where some more guards were waiting for him on a third parapet.

The half sphinx's intensity only increased. He released a loud, angry battle yell as he flung himself at the group of five guards. He took one guy out with a crack to the man's head before landing in the middle. The staff was flipped to Theo's back. It was securely kept there by him hooking his arms around it. He then crouched down low as the men all surrounded him.

With a spin of his body, Theo hit all the guards' knees with the staff. The men feel to the ground with yelps of pain. As they fell, Theo came back the other direction with another spin and so hit all their heads or necks. He came out of the second spin by standing up and jumped over a few unconscious bodies. He was moving onto his next victims.

The young man made his way around the building, the entire time taking out whatever guard that got in his way. As time went by, the demigod's energy began to wane. When he was taking out at least five guards a minute, it was easy to slip on the initial stamina.

In almost exactly fifteen minutes, the entire palace was fresh out of guards that had their eyes open. Theo stood on the parapet on a fourth floor, panting heavily. His tan fur dripped with sweat from the extensive effort he had just made. He had a few scrapes and bruises from miscalculated moves, but nothing serious. And he only had to use his fire powers a few times to save his butt. It meant he had done pretty good in his own estimation.

He had just put the Bo Staff back into his pants pocket when something slammed into his shoulder. Pain ripped through the shoulder as Theo pitched forward. He fell right off the parapet at the force of whatever had hit him.

Two floors down was the second floor balcony with the hanging plants. Wooden boards held up pots full of vibrantly colored flowers or deep green vine plants that traveled in all directions. Other luscious vegetation hung or sat around the balcony as if the owner had wanted it to be his own private jungle.

Theo crashed through the wooden lattice ensnarled with vines and roughly to the balcony floor. Although he landed easily on two feet, he still stumbled back to his butt as something in his shoulder threw him a little off balance.

Glancing at his shoulder from where he sat on the ground, Theo saw that it was an arrow. He cringed as he bent one arm back and grabbed the shaft that was sticking out of his shoulder. The skin around the wound was tinder with pain. The demigod gave a strained yell as he yanked the arrow out and threw it over the edge of the balcony.

Just as he was throwing the arrow, someone came soaring through the broken lattice and landed right on top of the cat boy, feet on both sides of the young man. Theo gave an alarmed gasp and looked up with wide eyes at the tall man now standing over him. His brain barely even registered the fact that the guy had a bow strung with an arrow and had it pointed right at his forehead when Theo realized who it was.

It felt like his heart had stopped in fear.

It was Ra.

A/N: Whew! That was fun. Fight scenes always get my blood pumping. And it's almost one in the morning. I'm so shot right now from writing all night long. Ah well. Time for business.

My new updating system goes like this. Each weekend I update a separate fic. So while I updated Powerless last weekend, I didn't update this one. This weekend I only updated this one. So next week it will go back to the other one. So, every two weeks this fic will be updated. Sucks, I know. But I'm just too busy these days. Sorry.

On a more painful and emotional note...

I want to dedicate this chapter of Future Mythology to Michelle Dehart who died a few weeks ago from a heroin overdose. I want to remember her as the great and talented rugby partner I had come to know, trust, and play the game with. I also want her death to tell others how bad drugs can be for anyone. Michelle was at a Saturday night party and fell asleep after a night of drugs and never woke up. Please let it be a reminder at how fragile a life is. This is hard to write, but I just want to say that she was one of my best friends on my team. I pray that her friends and family all deal well with her death. The good memories of Michelle will never leave me.


	29. Chapter 29 Labyrinth Wonders

A/N: So, I embraced the chapter full on and made it pretty long by doing so. I just didn't want to rush some of the scenes. I seriously hope I didn't make it boring or uneventful by doing this. We'll see by your reviews. No Sam and Takashi this chapter. Sorry. They will have a lengthy part next chapter, though. Not much else to say, so read and enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own any characters from Danny Phantom.

Chapter 29 Labyrinth Wonders

The eerie green glow from Zara's many floating ectoplasm balls were the only source of light in the new tunnel. The stone walls were made out of blocks of rock that were sometimes the size of humans. They were expertly stacked in perfect rows with hardly and creases. Danny observed them in confusion. Just two minutes ago they were red brick. And five minutes ago the walls were wooden logs.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Danny asked Zara for the hundredth time that night.

The Guardian suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. Danny walked right into her. He gave a yelp as the force of running into her sent him to the cold ground. Zara hardly paid him any attention as she stared attentively behind them.

Danny, from his spot on his butt, glanced around the tunnel they were in with his nerves all wound up. There was a creak to his left. Far behind them there was a rumble. Something odd was going on here. He didn't like this place.

"The walls are changing," Zara muttered under her breath. "There's no way to find our way out logically. Only if we're lucky. And we're not lucky."

"What about that map thing?" Danny asked. He didn't even try to get up. What was the point of walking around if they couldn't find a way out? They needed a plan before they could do anything. Besides, it was hard to get back to your feet when your hands are cuffed behind your back.

Zara took out the worn parchment paper from where she had stuck it in between her belt and pants behind her. It hung lifelessly from her hand as she stared at it with dull annoyance. She still hadn't figured out how to use it. It was definitely a map, but not one she'd ever seen before. It was useless to them.

"Here, ghost dork," Zara said as she rolled the scroll back up with two hands, "You can keep it. So far it's pointless." She leaned down, grabbed his belt in the front, and shoved one end of the map into his pants. She grinned at the small flush of his cheeks when stepping away.

"It has to mean something," Danny sighed. "Why would that lady risk herself to give it to us otherwise?"

"True," Zara said with her hands on her hips, "But that still gets us nowhere. That map is stupid until we know what it means. And to know what it means, we should keep walking." She shivered here and grumbled, "I'm gonna reek of earth after this."

"Takashi said that too," Danny said up to her.

"Takashi?" Zara whispered the name while looking longingly down at the ghost boy.

"When he was pretending to be you, he kept complaining that he was going to stink of earth," Danny said, not seeing the soft change in the Guardian's eyes. "You guys hate earth or something?"

"Earth is the most foreign substance to Guardians. The ghost zone doesn't have matter like it. Just like how ectoplasm is a foreign element to humans, the earth element is different for Guardians," Zara explained. "It has a certain gross smell for us. It is the only thing that can kill a Guardian."

"That makes sense," Danny said. He frowned while snapping his head around to look over his shoulder. Was something there? He couldn't tell.

"I feel it too," Zara said in a quiet voice. Her hard and narrowed gaze looked out into the darkness beyond them. "It's coming toward us."

"What is it?" Danny asked in a whisper.

"Don't know," Zara said. She gave a small gasp a second later. "It's too close," she said. "We gotta run." She turned to sprint down the tunnel and made it a few steps before realizing something. She skidded to a stop and glared behind her at the non accompanying Danny. What was taking him so long?

"Little help!" Danny hissed. He was awkwardly trying to get to his feet with little balance or success.

"Moron," Zara growled in her irritation. With haste, she ran back to him, grabbed him by an arm, and yanked him to his feet. She didn't let go as she ran swiftly down the tunnel.

"Not so fast!" Danny pleaded as he struggled to keep up with the Guardian's relentless pace.

A deep, animalistic roar exploded from behind them. It echoed off the cold stone walls and hit the two at a sound that hurt Danny's human ears. He cringed, feeling his heart start to beat fast and hard at the danger behind that terrifying sound.

"Faster!" Danny told the Guardian as he pulled himself out of her grip and sprinted ahead of her. Zara rolled her eyes at his recent indecision. Mortals just loved change.

They blasted out of the stone tunnel and into a ballroom sized room. The walls were rounded, making a perfect circle with many arches leading into dark hallways lining the entire perimeter. The domed ceiling dangled a large, old chandelier down upon them. It was homing many dusty spiderwebs. Deformed, dying candles held small, flickering flames that threw the room into wavering orange light and dancing shadows.

Danny and Zara stopped in the middle of the room, looking around for the right way. The roaring had stopped suddenly. Panting slightly, Danny glanced back where they had come from. The archway only showed a black tunnel like all the others.

"It's gone," Zara said with confusion.

"Gone? Where?" Danny asked, disturbed by this news. "There were no other pathways in that tunnel we were just in."

"I hate labyrinths," Zara grumbled in disgust. "This one the most. There is no pattern. Everything is so random."

_Bam!_

Danny yelped in surprise when a metal wall thrust itself out from the floor abruptly. It had cut the round room in half like the line a student in geometry class makes with a pencil to determine the diameter of a circle. Zara and Danny glanced at each other with weary gazes. The Guardian had crossed half the room. Danny was on the other side of it. This wasn't going to end well.

Just as the swear word was released from Zara's mouth, another wall like the first sprung up from the floor between the two. Danny had been right next to the thing. The surprise knocked him off balance. With a gasp, he found himself on his butt a second time that night.

"Zara!" Danny called the Guardian's name loudly. No answer. He didn't like this.

Another wall shot out of the ground behind him. Danny looked over his shoulder as it materialized with a loud bang from the floor. There was a pause as the small space Danny was in fell quiet except for the sound of his heavy breathing.

The floor gave a strong jolt one way so suddenly that it forced a scream out of Danny when his body hit the ground and was propelled toward the archway. He felt like he was on one of those conveyer belts at the airport for luggage. And he sure did feel like unimportant luggage as he was shoved into the archway with little kindness. He landed on his face in dirt with a grimace.

_Boom!_

Danny sat up at the sound and vibration he felt from it. He blinked a few times till he realized that the noise had been a door pounding shut behind him and that he had absolutely no light now. His back pressed against the cold metal of the door that had sealed him to an underground tomb. Panic threatened to overtake him.

"Bob?" Danny whispered the blob's name. The little green guy was still in his pocket. Danny just wanted some comfort of not being alone. But the blob didn't answer, probably just as scared as the boy was.

The walls began to creak and rumble as the maze Danny and Zara had been thrown in moved into another random position. Breathing quickly and sporadically, Danny pressed himself against the metal door and brought his bruised and bleeding knees close to his dirt encrusted face. His useless eyes searched the darkness for any sign of reassurance.

He found none.

Then, to his utter amazement, the darkness faded away. The tunnel began to slowly brighten up with a cool, light blue glow. Danny's eyes widened in pure amazement as his world was turned into a blue wonderland. He saw it was coming from the ceiling. It was made out of rocks that gave off the special light.

He'd seen this kind of light before. It took a moment for the boy to remember. It was on his last adventure with Theo. They had gone to Hades to return his symbol. The deal was that if they got out of the Underworld in an hour, Hades would let them free. They had gone down a whitewater river that had been illuminated by these kinds of rocks.

As Danny stared at the beautiful spectacular, he wondered how they hadn't glowed before. They must have had some chemical property in them that made them only glow if everything was completely dark. If Zara had only put out her ectoplasm fires, they would have had plenty of light.

A warm sensation going on in his pants alerted Danny to look down in surprise. He was met with an activated map. It glowed and sparkled with life. The boy used his teeth to pull the map out and unfurl it so he could look at it.

With hopeful blue eyes, Danny scanned the bright and glowing parchment paper. Instead of just dull little black lines connecting at confusing places, the light from the rocks had activated other colors and symbols to the map.

He saw one stationary blue dot that swirled with misty power. Right next to it was a smaller green one. Other black dots were moving sluggishly around without any indication of personality or ability across the paper. Danny noticed with interest the one purple swirly dot that was quickly moving closer toward him. In the middle of the map was a glowing and glimmering gold dot that was huge, indicating much power.

It was the mark of a god.

"Hephaestus," Danny whispered with awe.

The map leapt to life at the name. Danny gasped, throwing himself back into the metal door. He watched as the map twirled around in a tight circle in mid air. It stretched out like a cat that had been woken up after a nice nap.

The map noticed Danny there with a jump of surprise. Danny jumped too at the weird reaction the object had. The map flew up close to Danny's face as if curious. It then flew backwards and kept curling the edges of its two bottom corners up and down as if motioned the boy to follow him.

"You'll show me how to get to Hephaestus?" Danny asked it in a dazed stupor. He'd never talked to a piece of paper before. He thought he was crazy to do so now.

The map answered with a shaking of its upper half. Danny broke out into a nervous smile. The map flew a little bit down the tunnel and turned to motion for Danny to come. The boy struggled to his feet in the blue light, keeping his eyes on his new guide. It flew deeper into the tunnel.

"Hey! Wait!" Danny called after it. He stumbled after the map saying, "Be nice. I'm slow today!"

-Zara-

On one hand, the peace and quiet was nice. She had been wishing for a time away from her masters for a long while. On the other hand, Danny was pathetic without her. No light to guide his way. No powers to help him out if he ran into trouble. No balance with those clumsy handcuffs.

Now that she thought of it, the kid was doomed.

Reduced to babysitting once again. Zara didn't like it, but what could she do? She had sort of brought it upon herself by making Danny keep his handcuffs on. Now she had to go searching for him, using only her sense of a master's location to steer her through the winding corridors and hallways.

The entire time Zara felt like the maze was battling and conspiring against her. Every time her senses told her she was close to the ghost boy, the labyrinth would shift with a groan or shudder, and she'd end up going the opposite way. It was terribly frustrating on the Guardian's part who believed herself to be a master at tracking.

Just as she began to knock off another bar to her pride, Zara stiffened as another feeling came to her. Theo was in trouble again. But there was no way she could help him out.

"I hope they all die," Zara hissed into the foreboding darkness as she plowed deeper into the labyrinth.

-Theo-

"You really do have a death wish, don't you, Theo," Ra stated rather than asked the caught feline. The bow stretched out in his hands creaked under the pull. Theo averted his eyes from the god standing above him to the arrow notched and aimed at his forehead.

Without a word, Theo moved. He brought up his legs while sliding his head under Ra's body. His foot connected with the hand Ra was using to hold the bow. The kick threw the god off balance and sent the arrow into the rock floor as he pitched forward.

Theo used his time wisely. The second Ra was caught off guard, the demigod was rolling swiftly to his feet and running out of there. He jumped for a hanging flowerpot. His fingers were just finding purchase on the edge of it and the young man was swinging up toward the lattice when an arrow struck the pot and smashed it. Theo found himself falling from the loss of momentum.

He landed on his hands, swung the rest of his body down to the ground, and swept his legs into a pillar holding up a large pot. As Theo rightened himself into a crouch, the cumbersome flowerpot fell in front of him. The arrow Ra shot only pierced ceramic, soil, and roots. The only thing he killed was probably the innocent flower.

Theo took off in a dead sprint for the archway into the palace. He felt an arrow miss his hip by less than an inch. Fear was clear on the half sphinx's face now. Ra wasn't supposed to be coming after him. Abby said that after he took out the guards that Theo would be free to his own wills. Being chased by the god was not part of the plan.

The slick, polished floor of the palace gave Theo no grip. With a terrified grimace, the demigod slid precariously around the corner just as another arrow was shot his way. He was cutting this rather close.

The young man jumped out of one of the many open windows without pausing on the sill to check if there was any ledge to climb down or up to. He just blindly jumped. There was no time to stop and pause for thought. If he did, Ra would either hurt him beyond belief or kill him.

As he fell, Theo turned around and lunged for a ledge with a desperate hand. He let out a pained yelp when he found what he was looking for and was yanked to a sudden halt with one arm. He dangled there, breathing hard and fumbling for a plan.

Darn! He needed more time!

Theo grabbed the ledge with a second hand and used all his depleted strength to pull himself up and onto the little platform where two knocked out guards lay. The wounded shoulder gave him much grief for the hard work. It leaked fresh blood to every heavy heart beat.

The demigod felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. He was losing too much blood. He couldn't take more of this.

He glanced up to see Ra on the window sill throwing a fire punch at him below. Apparently the bow and arrow wasn't working for the god. Theo was just grateful that it was night. If Ra had his sun powers, this would have been all over and done with minutes ago.

Frantic and reckless, Theo ran for cover from the fireballs by running and jumping for a higher platform nearby. The heat of the flames scorched the half sphinx's fur as he lunged for cover around the corner of the palace.

Unfortunately, the blood lose and the previous extensive effort to knock out the guards had thrown him off. A foot slipped off the edge of the platform, rendering the rest of his body to the savage rules of gravity as he slid off the ledge. Theo grunted as he once again dangled by his one hand over the white sand that glowed in the bright moonlight.

Theo pulled himself halfway up when Ra had caught up with him and threw another fireball. The demigod extended an arm and sent a bigger one toward it to negate the flames. The move cost him. He slid back to dangling by his hands. He just didn't have the strength after days of no sleep, of being beaten by Ra, taking out all those guards, and the still bleeding wound.

"Gah! I'm not gonna make it," Theo whispered to himself. Another wave of pain and dizziness pummeled him. His vision blurred. His arms burned. His entire body shook with the effort it took to just to hang there.

Looking up, Theo saw the fuzzy outline of Ra come into view. Even if he wasn't clear, Theo still felt the dark and furious power the god produced as he glared down at his disobedient slave. It was all in those piercing black eyes.

"You'll survive the fall," Ra told the fading demigod without any emotion. He cocked his arm back for a punch. Flickers of small flames collected around the tightened fingers. Theo had never felt so helpless in his life.

"But I'll make sure you remember it clearly," Ra said coldly. Just as he was ready to throw the fiery punch, his eyes saw something below that surprised him.

Theo never got to see what was the matter or why the punishment hadn't been inflicted. It was because he was falling. Falling into darkness and whatever laid below.

-Danny-

"You sure you know where you're going?" Danny asked the map. From its place of hovering ahead of the jogging boy, the parchment paper glanced back with an air of annoyance. "Sorry I asked," Danny apologized to the flying object.

A minute later the map darted with excitement down an obscure corridor Danny never would have noticed if without the help of his guide. It was a small, cramped tunnel. Danny had to crouch to maneuver the tight space. He questioned the sanity of the map once again.

At the very end of the short tunnel there was a large space, like an entrance hall in a house, with a single metal door the size of a wall. Through the crack at the bottom, a warm glow of light poured out. The map didn't look back at Danny as it flew through to the other side.

With a loud boom, the door suddenly opened. Danny stood in awe as it swung a little toward him, just enough for him to slip in. The map came back out for Danny, urgently motioning for him to come. Danny didn't hesitate to obey. The door slammed shut behind him.

"Whoa," Danny breathed in wonder at the sight.

The boy took steps he didn't remember taking as the map led him through the workings of Hephaestus' domain. The large room that was the size of many airplane hangers was filled with scrap metal, unfinished projects with sketchy drawing sheets collecting dust, and beautifully forgotten pieces of work that made the young boy's mind and imagination soar to new dimensions.

Finally the map led Danny to his destination. Danny stopped in front of a futuristic vehicle without any wheels. He guessed it was some kind of hovercraft. The god was singing loudly and off tune to the music he had playing in that area which Danny remembered as being Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog". He was halfway under the vehicle on one of those trolley things for the purpose of easily working on the underbellies of cars.

The map flew under the hovercraft to greet its maker. There was a booming laugh a second later when the god saw his long lost creation. "How did you find me?" Hephaestus asked it.

With a push, Hephaestus rolled himself out from under the car. He was a little shocked to see Danny standing there in timid silence, but he soon got over it. He had met the boy once before on his last adventure with Theo.

"Danny Phantom," Hephaestus said with a short laugh. He got up from the trolley with a little struggle from his deformed leg that was intricately incased in whatever invention the god had made for it. He smiled hugely at the teen as if they were great friends. "I have something for you, boy. Something I'm sure you will enjoy."

"You do?" Danny asked in surprise. He shook his head to clear it before regaining his senses and saying, "I didn't come here for whatever you made me. I need your help."

Hephaestus pretended he hadn't heard the boy as he limped quickly and nimbly deeper into his workshop. Danny followed after him along with the map. The god came to a place with many shelves. He brushed aside some papers and cobwebs, mumbling thoughts under his breath. With a snatch, the god had found what he wanted and pulled the long case off the shelf and turned to Danny.

"I made this centuries ago, knowing you'd show up again at some point," Hephaestus told the teen. He blew off a layer of dust. As the two choked on it, the god added, "I just didn't suspect you'd show up so late."

Danny watched as the god slowly opened the long case up to reveal a sword in its scabbard. The teen stared for a second, pleasantly surprised. The god urged him to take it, but Danny turned around to show him his handcuffs.

"Why didn't you tell me?" the god asked with another booming laugh. He put down the sword case and grabbed Danny. With a simple touch, Hephaestus had the cuffs off. Danny stretched out his sore arms and wrists with relief.

"I really need your help right now," Danny told the god. "Ra has taken over everything. He treats your people like slaves. They really need you right now."

"How do you like it?" Hephaestus asked with a boisterous grin.

"I don't like it!" Danny said.

"You don't like the sword?" the god asked in surprise. "Thought for sure you would."

"No, I meant the conditions your people are under," Danny corrected himself. "The sword is cool, actually."

The god shoved the case into Danny's face as if to tell him to take it. Danny, to please the god, took the sword in two hands. He was amazed when the hilt fit his hand perfectly. That had only happened once before. It threw him off guard. Soon he was unsheathing the blade and staring at his glimmering reflection in the beautifully crafted weapon.

"Nice, right?" Hephaestus asked.

"It's perfect," Danny said softly. He had never come across a sword that fit him so nicely. It was almost a magical or supernatural experience. "Is it really mine?" he asked.

"All yours," the god said, smug and pleased. It was clear to him how appreciative Danny was of his work, and that made him happy. "Here, let's put the scabbard on you. How do you like to put it on? Waist, back, shoulders?"

"On my back," Danny said with a smile. He was one of the few people who preferred strapping the scabbard across his back and releasing the blade by reaching back for it. The god nodded with understanding and helped the teen put it on.

"You're good to go," Hephaestus said with a nod when the task was finished.

"No, I'm not going anywhere without your help," Danny said, returning to the main subject. "Your people need you, Hephaestus."

"They don't want me," the god said darkly. It was such a drastic change of mood that Danny took a step back when he said, "So I don't want them."

"Liar," Danny blurted out boldly. "You darn, freaking well know they want you! Stop denying it!"

He had pushed too far. Hephaestus suddenly attacked. He lunged at the boy, slamming his body up against the shelves with his bulky form. Dark eyes glowered into Danny's wide and alarmed ones. Danny couldn't squirm himself out from under the strong god that pinned him there. This fact frightened the teen.

"They told me they didn't want me," Hephaestus seethed into Danny's face. "They said they would rather have Ra rule over them. So I destroyed my city, built my kingdom down here where no one would bother me, and tried to forget about them. They can all rot in the Underworld for all I care."

They stared at each other for a few tense, silent seconds. "Who told you that?" Danny asked him quietly, but with as much intensity he could muster under such circumstances. "Did Ra tell you that?"

Danny saw the flit of doubt cross the god's face when he asked this. He had hit the nerve he had been aiming for. He didn't back down as he said, "Ra is a conniving snake. He came in here, told you a bunch of lies to make you leave, and used your poor, forgotten people to build his city. He treats them like animals, but they can't do anything because of his power. I know they want you back. Please come back!"

"I can't," Hephaestus said in a half hearted growl.

"You are a god!" Danny told him with passion. "You were made to rule, to love your people, and to be loved by them in return! Don't tell me you don't believe this. I know you do! Deep down you know you want to take those people back. You want to be their god."

Hephaestus backed away from the teen and let him fall to the ground with a thoughtful look upon his features. "You're right," he mumbled, but with conviction. Danny breathed out in sudden relief.

He took the boy's chin in one big hand and yanked the kid's head up to look at him before saying seriously, "You are a very smart ghost, Danny Phantom, but you still haven't learned how know your place in the ghost world. I could have killed you for saying those things to me in that manner, but I like you. You know how to knock some sense into people."

"Too bad no one knows how to knock some sense into _him_," Zara's voice came from above the pair. Danny gasped, cranking his head back to see the Guardian perched on the top of the shelves and glaring down at him.

"How'd you find me?" Danny asked her in bemusement.

"I followed the thick scent of idiot," Zara answered simply. Bored and slightly tired, she transformed into a black jaguar and stretched out on her new perch like a lazy cat. Her tail whisked around her form as she said, "You might want to hurry with the help. Theo's practically dying up there."

"Theo's here?" Hephaestus asked. "That must mean there's a bunch of trouble. That boy seems to bring bad luck with him wherever he goes."

"No kidding," Zara grinned from above.

"Alright, Danny," Hephaestus told the teen, "I'll go back and reclaim my city and my people. But to do that, I need to take care of that evil god, Ra. Guardian, fetch me that sphere by your tail there."

Without response, Zara tucked her tail into the shelf under her and knocked over the sphere collecting century old dust and let it drop. Danny quickly dove for it and caught the bronze ball in two hands. He glared up at the careless Guardian. Her cat lips curled up into an amused smile.

Danny handed the sphere to Hephaestus. The god smiled slyly at it, saying, "Let's see Ra get out of one _my_ inventions."

-Meanwhile-

"What are you going to do, you pathetic slaves?" Ra sneered mockingly into Luke's face. "Lock me up? The second that sun emerges over the horizon, I'll be free. And angry. You do _not_ want to see a god with my power angry."

The slaves had stormed the palace just after the twenty minutes Theo said it would take for him to take care of the guards. They had all arrived just when the god had been ready to blast Theo into tomorrow. Instead, the demigod had fallen into the arms of the slaves, safe and sound, and the Egyptian sun god had been tied up in chains to his throne on the top of the palace. No guards were awake to protect their god.

"We aren't going to stand for your cruelty toward us," Luke spat into Ra's face.

"Oh, yes you will after a few years of harsher circumstances than you are under at the moment," Ra said with a cruel smile. "I'll shorten food rations. Lengthen working hours. I'll even shorten your numbers by commanding my soldiers to kill all the older and younger humans. Release me now and I might be a little more kind."

The small crowd of men and some woman in the throne room all yelled in protest and anger. Some were scared for their lives and told Luke to release the god now and not anger him. More of them wanted to hurt the monster. Others said he was lying. He'd never harm his source of slaves like that.

Luke looked over to the mat where Theo was sitting wretchedly on with Abby patching up his wounded shoulder. The demigod cowered under the sudden stare from the man. He moved his eyes to the floor before saying quietly, "This isn't my decision."

The man looked to his wife a moment later, dissatisfied with Theo's answer. They shared a longing stare. Then Abby said, "We need to rely on Hephaestus. Theo's friend should have found him by now."

"It's been hours!" someone in the crowd shouted. Others agreed, but not many. They all demanded they do something now about Ra then later. In a few hours it would be daylight and they'd all be in deep trouble.

"Danny will pull through," Theo whispered. No one heard him through the arguing and shouting except for Ra. The two stared at each other. The god broke out into a sinister smile when Theo only looked at him stoically.

The ground began to shake and grumble with such intensity that everyone fell silent. Ra's smile dropped when Theo slipped in a small, sly grin directed solely for him.

The crowd of people all watched in astonishment as a hole erupted from where the arena was placed behind the palace. It widened till a certain large point and a metal building burst from it. Three figures were standing on the very top of the rising building as it passed up the height of the palace and continued for a few more stories and then coming to a halt with a defining boom that rocked the silent city.

"My people!" Hephaestus' voice came from speakers that were somewhere in the building that had somehow been resurrected from the depths of the labyrinth. "I have returned!"

The rooftop of the palace was released into cheers of joy. Many were in tears. After years of slavery, they were finally free. It was a day for celebration.

Theo's chest tightened with emotion when he saw Danny fly from the top of the new building, Zara by his side. His friend had survived, found Hephaestus, and had brought these people out of slavery. To think that the annoying kid he'd met only a few years ago could do all that in a single night was amazing. The grin couldn't be erased from the demigod's face.

Danny landed lightly in front of Luke who watched him with his usual wry grin of amazement. In his hand was a bronze sphere. He handed the ball to Luke, who the boy had figured was the leader of the bunch, and said, "I'll let you do the honors."

"I'd let Theo do it," Zara joked with an evil grin. "He's the one who looks like he's been through Hades for you crazy human lot."

The crowd actually nodded and agreed with mumblings of approval to Zara's random observation. Luke nodded while raising an eyebrow in Theo's direction. Theo was startled by this, but let Abby pick him up anyways. He stumbled over to where Luke, Danny, and Zara were standing with the sphere.

"Go ahead, cat boy," Danny teased him. "Ra's all yours." Luke gave the demigod the sphere and everyone moved away so that the young man could see the chained and frowning sun god.

Theo walked stiffly up to his enemy with eyes narrowed in hate. The tall man was kneeling on the limestone floor, so they were practically eye to eye. The god put on an oily smile and opened his mouth to say something. Theo didn't give him the time to do so. He threw his arm back and slugged the god right in chin.

"That," Theo said with certain satisfaction, "was for branding me." He shoved his ear in Ra's glowering face and said, "This doesn't mean I'm yours. It means you were stupid enough to try and break me. But guess what?" He smiled darkly here and said in a menacing whisper, "I don't break easily. Think about that while you live a life of eternal darkness."

And with that said, Theo smashed the sphere against Ra's forehead. The god screamed in pain as he was sucked into the entities of the sphere which would take away the powers of the god, rendering him unable to take on the abilities of the sun ever again. Ra's life would be a dark one for sure.

"That," Zara said in conclusion, "was fun."

A/N: Whew! And my Ra arch is over! On to the last of the Greek gods! And then we get to Vlad. That will be very fun. It's all winding down now. I'm just surprised that I made a sequel that wasn't half that bad. And the fact that it's freakishly long and nobody cares makes me happy. ha ha. More to come in two weeks! Stay tuned my awesome readers!


	30. Chapter 30 Surprises

A/N: This was a fun chapter. Although it felt a little like a filler chapter, I think it gets the needed information out in a non boring way. Oh, and another Guardian and ghost from the show gets introduced finally. Been waiting patiently to bring them in. Well, enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the show.

Chapter 30 Surprises

The portal opened in mid air with a quick spin of a clock hand. Cloak Guy watched it bubble into clarity with a tired sigh. Things were coming down to the wire. That meant things were about to get hard and fast paced very soon. He hoped he was prepared for it all.

With a smooth jump, Cloak Guy entered the time portal. He burst through the other side and paused while landing there. He had expected only Clockwork, but the second he set foot in the new area, a Guardian had a sword to his throat.

Yep. Things were getting difficult alright.

Reacting quicker than Takashi had expected, Cloak Guy had ducked and spun away from the blade, simultaneously releasing his own sword strapped to his back. The two new adversaries gave sharp battle cries as both their swords clashed together. The sound rang out into the ticking complex of Clockwork's domain and echoed in the dark, mysterious distance.

Cloak Guy grimaced at which the force Takashi had hit him, and he was pushed back a few feet. The Guardian was stronger than your average ghost. He prepared for another attack from the Guardian by getting into a strong fighting stance. Takashi was a blur to the human eye as he came at Cloak Guy again.

Their swords clashed a second time. Takashi was practically atop his enemy from where he hovered above Cloak Guy with his sword pressing harshly down upon the other. Cloak Guy grunted under the pressure, but his stance had granted him survival of the attack.

"Hey!" Sam yelled at Takashi. "What the heck are you doing?" She didn't understand why he was attacking the stranger. Sure, Cloak Guy looked dangerous, but that didn't give the Guardian freedom to strike at random.

Takashi ignored the question as he glared into the shadows of Cloak Guy's hood and snarled, "Who are you? Why are you here?"

"None of your business," Cloak Guy growled back. As if ending the conversation, Cloak Guy threw Takashi off his sword and gave a quick swipe of his blade. Takashi easily avoided it by jumping back a step. But there was a look of concern on his features as he brought up his blade to perry another strike from Cloak Guy.

"It's silver!" Takashi whispered in great surprise. His wide eyes stayed on Cloak Guy's blade as he beheld it in a new kind of light. That sword could kill him.

"Yep," Cloak Guy said with a smirk in his voice. "Now if you back off, I might actually be able to leave you and that human alone and be on my way."

"Do as he says, Takashi," Clockwork spoke up suddenly. He had watched the sword match from the sidelines with a silent and amused kind of smile on his old lips. Everyone these days seemed to be rushing into trouble.

Reluctantly, Takashi stepped away from Cloak Guy, but he kept his katana ready to be used in a two hand grip in front of him. Sam gave a sigh of relief. She had feared for a moment that the Guardian would kill the guy. That wouldn't have been pleasant.

"Don't you have a place to be, stranger?" Clockwork asked Cloak Guy mysteriously. He tapped the end of his staff on the ground. Another time portal was created on the other side of the room.

Sam peered into the vortex with interest because it was so close to her. She saw a dark and depressing city at night from what looked like the view from the roof of a tall building. She knew it was no place from this time period. Was that the future? The question sent a shiver through her body. Danny was there!

"I'll be on my way, Clockwork," Cloak Guy said dejectedly. His brown cloak snapped as he briskly made his way to the portal without another glance at the Guardian who watched him carefully. "Just passing through," he told Clockwork with a more lighter tone of voice.

Suddenly Sam was in front of Cloak Guy. He had to slam of his brakes to prevent from crashing into her. She stood right in front of him, not even an inch of space between the two. Cloak Guy repressed a gasp of surprise. What did she want with him?

"Who _are_ you?" she asked him, voice quiet and passionate. Her eyes desperately searched the darkness in the hood for an answer. Cloak Guy stood there in silence as if pondering the possibility of revealing his name. For a brief second he was going to tell her. Those pleading violet eyes had weakened him.

Then he changed his mind.

Pushing her out of his way, Cloak Guy muttered to the flustered girl, "Tell your Guardian friend to chill out." Those were his last words before leaping through the portal of the futuristic city in one easy stride. The vortex swirled into a mist before vanishing.

"Who was that?" Takashi asked Clockwork the second the guy was gone. He dropped his sword and waved a hand over its receding form to suck the energy of it back into his essence where it had come from. He walked up next to Sam who was still staring at where the portal had been. Her emotions were an enigma to the Guardian.

"Just a stranger passing by," Clockwork answered with a sly, little smile on his child-like face.

-On the Pirate Ship _Broken Heart_-

Lydia shoved the door to the second floor of the ship open with a firm frown on her face. This job was proving to be difficult. And her masters were not making things better with their ignorance. This would be less hard if Takashi hadn't foolishly messed around with his friend and had been sent away. What had gotten into her fellow Guardian?

Lydia had been looking forward to working with Takashi again. They had met up many times, even before his most recent job as slave under the ruler Vlad Plasmius. She could always rely on him to be serious, smart, and quick. She was the same, so they had always melted well together.

It just told her how one slip up could land a Guardian in a world of hurt. Plasmius must have had been furious to learn of Takashi's devious deeds. Her friend with all certainty had gotten a bad punishment. She almost felt sorry for him. Then again, he did bring it upon himself.

Besides, he had fun. Lydia knew Takashi wouldn't have given that part up for anything. She knew his more rebellious side. That was what made him so likable.

Lydia's long, red cloak seemed to float in the air behind the Guardian as she marched at a steady pace to the conference room where her true master and substitute one were waiting for her. As she swiftly walked down the corridor, small ghost energies returned to her essence. She formed them into the different tattoos that covered every inch of her green skin.

The unique look she had created for the human world was almost like her signature. Over the centuries, she had become a well known symbol for the dark side of life. In the Guardian slave world, her preferred form had established some sense of reputation. Lydia was known for her loyalty and quiet intensity. If someone wanted a Guardian who was silent and would surely get the job done, she was the one to pick.

Of course, she had a rough start in her first few centuries of work. Being the one to take care of a linage of Freakshows wasn't a nice beginning to her life. It didn't help her pride that they were humans. No Guardian liked being a slave to a _mere_ human. The last Freakshow had seemed promising, but Lydia decided that he had been as stupid as all the others.

Good riddance to all of them.

Lydia phased right through the door to the conference room. Ember was sitting on the main table there, plucking away at her guitar, clearly upset. She looked up at the entrance of the Guardian and only frowned more. She had been in a sour mood ever since she had been scolded for attacking Demeter.

"Report," Skulker ordered his Guardian as if absentmindedly from where he leaned against one of the walls. Him and Ember had been discussing where to find Theo's ship for an hour now. It had only ended in the two ghosts screaming at each other. Lydia knew why. The two used to be a couple. And like the babies they both were, they had never left their grudges behind. Typical.

A smirk came to Lydia's lips. She hoped they still stayed miserable. Her hood successfully hid her secret emotion. Only her glowing red eyes could be seen.

"I found them," Lydia stated emotionlessly.

"YOU DID?" both ghosts asked as one.

Lydia didn't repeat herself. She didn't like talking. Only with fellow Guardians did she really carry long conversations with. Any other time she talked was if her master asked something of her, and even then she'd rarely answer with words.

"Where are they?" Skulker asked his Guardian, almost desperately, Lydia noted with pleasure. He was a pathetic ghost when he first summoned the Guardian. He wasn't much of a hunter, either. Now he was begging a Guardian for help. Lydia wanted to shove the fact in his face, but she was never one to brag.

"They are nearing Poseidon's Terra," Lydia told them with the same deadpan voice.

"Jeez, Skulker, she's even more drab than Takashi," Ember pointed out rather randomly. The ghost broke out into a devilish smile before suggesting, "Maybe she should clean my guitar. That always got Takashi animated. Ticked him off so much."

Skulker looked confused. "I think she's a good Guardian," he said after a second of long and hard contemplation on the subject. That was one thing Lydia didn't mind about her master. He did respect her power and how she stayed quiet all the time. He preferred the silence, actually. Gave him more room to gloat out load to her, much to her annoyance.

"Why do you keep comparing her to your old one?" Skulker accused the pirate.

Lydia knew why. Ember missed Takashi. She'd seen it a few times before. Even Freakshow would miss her between summons. After a long time, a Guardian could become almost a part of its master. With it suddenly gone, it is hard for a master to move on and get a new one. It was a strange emotion Lydia still didn't understand yet.

"Why do you always ask dumb questions?" Ember snapped back at the ghost of the hunt. They glared at each other before Ember directed her gaze over to Lydia and demanded, "Tell the crew to head in that direction. Skulker will summon you when he needs you next. We still need to work out a plan. Understand?"

Lydia nodded with a slight dip of her hooded head. She turned and left through the door. She grinned when she heard both the ghosts arguing the second she was out of the room. They were too nervous to function. That pleased the Guardian. It meant Plasmius had threatened their lives.

Maybe she'd be back in the ghost zone sooner than she thought.

-Theo-

Theo glanced up at the control table where Danny and Zara were with suspicious confusion. They were quietly discussing among themselves, keeping their voices just out of earshot for the inquiring half sphinx who sat at the bow of the ship. They had been talking like that for a hour now. Theo wondered what they were plotting.

Trying to keep his mind off the two schemers, Theo went back to work on the net of rope he was fixing for one of their solar balloons. It was a complex network of roping which was proving to be time consuming for the demigod.

Melody suddenly appeared beside the half sphinx. He glanced up at her, eyebrows raised in mild interest. She expressed a shy, cute smile as if begging for attention.

"They ignoring you too?" Theo asked her. Melody nodded with a sad sigh. "You know what they are talking about?" Theo said with a sly smirk. The girl shook her head no. Theo rolled his eyes. "Figures," he grumbled. "Some help you are."

Melody ventured closer to the feline to look at the net he was working on. She was a little bored that day. Bob wouldn't let her in the kitchen or even in the galley at all. Danny and Zara would shoo her away every time she tried to hang around them. She didn't understand. Her last resort for entertainment was the intimidating half sphinx.

"Hey, girl, if you're going to stick around, at least be productive," Theo growled at her as she gawked at the net. She nodded before sitting next to him cross legged like he was. He watched as she picked up some pieces of the net and began trying to twist them together.

Theo was about to yell at her for getting in his way, but the sight of the little girl with her tongue sticking out at the corner of mouth in pure determination and concentration was too innocent and cute for the young man. He found himself sighing in amusement.

"Here," he told her, bringing up his ends of the net and waiting for her to look at him, "Watch me. This is how you do it. This end loops around here. See?"

Melody watched him in silence before nodding enthusiastically in understanding. Theo laughed a little at this. He didn't believe that a kid her age could ever get it that fast. It was nearly impossible. But the girl was so sure of herself. Theo wondered if all kids were this way. He had better find that out soon.

Melody brought up what she had just done to the net for Theo to see. He decided to humor her by looking it over. Eyebrows knitting together in disbelief, Theo saw that it was perfect.

"Hey, you're good at this," Theo told her, impressed. She grinned brightly back up at him as her way of thanks before going back to work on the net. Theo found himself smiling too.

"What do you think they're talking about over there?" Theo asked her after a long silence of working on the net. Their fingers looped rope here and tied knots there so gracefully that it was as if they had practiced the thing like an art.

"You," Melody said after a short pause.

Theo's ears perked up at the sound of her voice. He hadn't expected her to answer. The demigod tried to play it cool, though. He was just glad she was talking somewhat. It would be bad if he spoiled the mood.

"Really?" he asked with a sly grin. His eyes darted up at the two on the other side of the ship. His gaze met with Danny's. He gave the boy an evil smirk just to rile him. It worked as planned. The ghost boy's smile faded with uncertainty before he averted his eyes back to Zara.

"They keep looking at us," Melody explained her deduction in a very quiet voice. Without his heightened sense of hearing, Theo probably would have had trouble catching everything she had said. "They must be talking about you."

"That's a good theory," Theo mused after a quick glance down at the girl. She was pretty smart for her young age. He was surprised by this. "But they weren't looking at me before you showed up. Maybe they are talking about you. Ever think about that?"

Melody's eyebrows lowered in deep thought. She was silent for a few more minutes before she said, "No one talks about me. Why should they?"

"Everyone talks about you, girl," Theo chided her childish logic. He didn't smooth his words over as he said, "You haven't said a word in weeks. No kid your age does that. It's unnatural. That scares us. We always talk about your well being. It's not like you're some object we want to log off to the side. You're just as much part of this crew as clueless ghost boy is over there acting like some dork."

Melody looked hurt and confused when he said this. She went back to her work on the net and said nothing more. Theo noticed her depressed emotion a moment later when he glanced down at her. He sighed in aggravation. Was he really this bad with kids? He sure hoped not.

"Now what?" Theo asked the girl. She shied away from him, refusing to say anything. The demigod let out a long sigh while running a hand through his hair. He needed to be nice. "Sorry," he forced the words out of him. "What is bothering you? Was it something I said?"

"I like Danny," Melody blurted out, cheeks burning with embarrassment.

A laugh exploded out of Theo as soon as he understood why she had said that. "I like the kid too," he reassured Melody with a grin. "We're practically best friends."

"But you say mean things to him," Melody pointed out.

"That's different than when Zara says mean things," Theo explained. "When I say mean things about Danny I'm always saying the opposite of how I feel. He does the same to me. It's our secret language."

Melody's golden eyes lifted up to the demigod in question. She didn't have to say a thing to get her emotions across. After years of being silent, it was easy for her to use body language to get messages across to other people.

"Uh...it's called sarcasm," Theo said with some awkwardness. "You do _know_ what that is, right?" She stared blankly up at him. The demigod sighed. "I'm not good with words," he said. "You'll figure it out someday."

Yeah, not good with kids. With some annoyance, Theo decided he had to fix that. Somehow the task didn't seem so bad once he thought about it, though. Soon he was smiling a little while going back to work on the net. Melody kept him great company beside him. He liked her sweet silence while she was thankful to have someone to just be with for the moment.

When Melody paused to look up, Theo caught the frozen-like reaction she had with ears perking in alertness. He looked down at her before following her gaze. Danny and Zara were gone.

"Well, that's unsettling," Theo muttered, a little bit irritated. Melody nodded. "Better go find them," he said while getting to his feet. "Who knows what evil things they're getting into now." The girl did the same and followed the young man as he made his way to the hatch to bellow deck.

Theo threw the hatch door open with a quick, irked motion. He glared down at the darkness below. The two were up to something alright. They never kept the galley's lights out. And it was quiet down there. Too quiet.

"Come on," Theo sighed, exasperated, to Melody. She instinctively grabbed ahold of his outstretched hand while staring into the black void below. Theo easily pulled her up onto his back and traveled carefully down the rickety wooden steps. His brown eyes seemed to glow as his feline genes kicked into action in the dark.

Once below, Theo ventured deeper into the depths of the galley and feeling weary. He called out, "I know you guys are down here!" No answer. He didn't like that. Trying a new, threatening tactic, he growled at them, "I'll kill you if you even so dare as jump out and try to scare us!"

The lights suddenly blasted on. Theo gasped in the suddenness of it all. Melody even squeaked a scream from where she was still on his back. The two stared in shock at the sight the brightness had presented them.

"SURPRISE!" Danny and Zara yelled in union. Bob tried saying it too, but no one understood his language except for a stunned Theo.

The three had set up a wooden table in the galley. No one would have known it was for a birthday party if they hadn't seen the giant, oversized and eight layer cake sitting on the surface. It was overflowing with multicolored frostings. Seven unlit candles stuck out on the mountain-like top.

"What the he-," Theo started to say, but was discouraged by the look of pure joy on Melody's face when he glanced over to her.

"Happy birthday, Mel!" Danny said to the kid while flying up to her. He hovered in the air with a silly smile on his face, as if his happiness was what was keeping him in the air. Everyone laughed when all the girl did was gawk and stare.

"We're too poor to give ya presents, but we thought the biggest home-made cake known to man-kind would be good enough," Zara said, winking to Bob. The blob smiled proudly for his job well done.

Theo smiled to himself. He took the girl off his back and sat her at one of the chairs by the table and said, "I'll light the candles." Danny laughed at the thought, but everyone sat down at their own spot as Theo leaned over the cake and waved a hand over the candles. They all sparked to life, making the girl gasp with glee.

Bob suddenly broke out into the birthday song...but in his own language. The others all stared at him for a second, confused. But soon they had all caught on and were singing to the girl as well, Zara competing to be the loudest. All Melody could do was grin.

"Now, make a wish and blow out the candles," Zara told her master. "Make it a good one. Like, I wish for Zara to be free and to go back to the ghost zone. Oh! That's a good one! Wish for that!"

"Or you could wish for Zara to be silent for the rest of her life. That one seems promising," Theo shot back, smirking at the Guardian.

"Ignore them," Danny told Melody with a roll of his eyes. He picked her up and hovered with her so she could blow out the candles without having to lean over the tower of a cake. "Wish for whatever you want."

Melody took a deep breath, thought for a second on her wish, then blew out the seven candles in one explosion of air. As Danny sat her back down, Bob flew in to cut up the cake. The entire group participated in the job.

Everyone got a honking huge piece of the chocolate, sweet substance. Theo looked at his piece, which was the size of a full grown chicken, with wide eyes of astonishment. Danny smiled at the sight of his cake overflowing off his plate. Zara didn't hesitate to dig in or use the fork. Bob was his usual messy self when eating his cooking. Melody couldn't eat the stuff fast enough.

"Why didn't you guys bother to tell me about her birthday?" Theo asked the group after some time.

"Don't cower behind me, dork," Zara told Danny when he glanced over to her. "Go ahead and tell him yourself."

Danny swallowed his mouthful of cake before saying hesitantly, "Well, dude, we just thought you'd say no. You were in a bad mood this morning for training, so we decided not to say anything to you."

"That's a sorry excuse," Theo muttered darkly at his friend, ears flattening. "I would have totally let you guys throw the party." He grumbled in a pout, "I'm not _that_ mean."

"Sure," Zara said sarcastically. "You're the nicest cat boy I've ever met. Keep up the great work." She winked at the glaring demigod without any fear. Danny choked on his cake when he gave a laugh. Melody smiled, enjoying the usual exchange of insults.

"Hey, Zara," Theo said in a sing-song voice. Zara looked up at him with a daring smile.

_Splat!_

The entire room fell dead silent as they stared in shock at the grinning half sphinx who still held the spoon he had used as a catapult and the Guardian with a layer of cake splattered all over her face. Zara seemed to simmer in anger as she flung the cake off her face with a hand and glared dangerously at the young man. He waved back at her.

"Oh, you have messed with the wrong Guardian!" Zara seethed. She grabbed her plate that was full of cake and shoved it right into Theo's unsuspecting face. Danny couldn't stop laughing as the Guardian dusted herself off with a proud, triumphant flourish.

"Oh, shut up!" Theo yelled at Danny. He grabbed a handful of cake from the main platter in the middle and threw it into the ghost boy's laughing face. The force was so strong, it sent the kid right off his stool and spiraling to the ground.

_Splat!_

"Oh!" Zara gasped in pleasure. "You just got burned big time, cat boy!"

Theo had a new chunk of gooey cake in his ear from a deft throw from Melody. The young man smiled viciously as he grabbed another handful of cake and chucked it back at the girl. Everyone gasped as it hit Melody's face. It was only then when Theo realized what he had done. The smile dropped off his face in fear.

Melody burst out into laughter.

Before anyone could get their head over the fact that this was the first time the girl had laughed, Melody had gotten her hands on more cake and had it sailing at Zara this time. The Guardian gave a curse as Theo decided to join in on the fun and had more cake flying at her. Danny dove for his own share of the action and hit Theo.

Soon, the entire galley had broken out into a cake fight. Even Bob was in the mix as he played as Melody's sidekick and screamed each time someone threw something at her. All of them in no time were covered from head to two in cake and frosting. The floor was slippery with the icing. Both Danny and Theo once slipped on the stuff while dodging heavy fire of birthday sweetness from a relentless Zara.

Zara was the first one to notice the danger. She stopped in the middle of the room, eyes going wide in alarm. The one second she didn't have her radar up, someone had slipped by it. That person was WAY too close.

"Zara!" Theo gasped while sliding up next to her. "What is it?" He hoped whatever it was wouldn't be too difficult. He was beginning to hate himself for getting so distracted with the cake fight already.

Danny watched in dismay as a wisp of cold air bubbled its way out of his mouth. "Ghost," he told Theo. Another wisp came out. "Correction," the boy said, "Ghost_s_."

As if on cue, a swarm of little green and glowing ghosts all burst through the floor. They all laughed maliciously as they flew straight for Melody. Zara attacked a second later, but she was too late. The tiny ghosts swirled around the girl and were suddenly retreating through the ceiling with Melody screaming in the sack they had captured her in.

Zara didn't wait for an order. She flew right up after them, eyes set on retrieving her master as fast as possible. Her form was a blur as she phased right through the ceiling, hot on their trail. Danny followed after her with a burst of energy.

"Stupid ghost kid. Never thinks ahead!" Theo hissed under his breath as he ran for a weapon rack that had been overlooked. He grabbed the boy's new sword and threw the strap of the scabbard over his shoulder. He worked frantically as he stocked his own belt with a few daggers and a smoke bomb or two.

Theo sprinted to the stairs and took them two at a time. He jumped through the hatch door and landed in a tight crouch, ready for action. As expected, things didn't look good.

Zara and another Guardian were going at it in the skies. The sack with Melody in it was no where to be seen, which didn't sit well with the demigod. He gave a yelp of alarm when Danny whizzed by him with Skulker close behind and laughing with wicked pleasure. When had Skulker gotten into this mess? Theo smelled Plasmius all over this.

"Let's rock!" Ember's voice was heard a second before she struck. Theo looked behind him, ears perked and eyes wide in sudden distress. He was hit with a wave of ghostly power from Ember's guitar. The ghost grinned with evil intent.

A scream was released from the half sphinx as the sound wave forced him right over the edge of the ship's side. He managed to grab onto the railing just in time. With a struggle, he pulled himself back up and jumped high into the air to avoid another surge of sound.

"You can run all you want, cat boy," Ember called up to the airborne feline, "But music will never escape you." She stuck another power chord with a devilish smile and aimed her instrument at the descending demigod.

Before the wave could hit Theo, he swung his arm back and threw a dagger down at her. It flashed through her wave of power and hit its mark. Ember growled in anger as one of her strings was cut right in half. Her fiery hair cracked and exploded to meet her raging emotions as she glared up the half sphinx.

Theo caught a rope connected to one of the solar balloons as the music wave sent him reeling back into the air. He hung onto the precarious perch and observed the playing field while catching his breath. It was going down hill fast.

Zara and the other Guardian were no where to be seen now. They probably took the fight to someplace else. That meant things were getting serious between the two. Danny wasn't in ghost form anymore. Something had happened to him. He was dodging the slashing blade attached to Skulker's armor. He had no room for an offensive attack. But that was going to change.

"Danny!" Theo called down to his human friend. He held up the sword scabbard he'd been smart enough to retrieve before jumping into the battle. Danny's eyes lit with understanding at the sight of his weapon. "Catch!"

Danny daringly slid right under Skulker's legs and leapt back to his feet. He ran closer over to Theo just as the demigod threw down the sword. The kid jumped into the air, caught it with one hand, and was hit with a wave of music. It sent the teen backwards. He landed in a harsh roll he quickly controlled, and he was able to skid to a stop on his feet, sword released and ready.

Theo landed beside the boy. He took out two daggers and held them by his head with his arms crossed in front of his face. The two glanced at each other and smiled slightly.

"I'll take the stupid one," Danny told Theo with a grin. His eyes narrowed on Skulker, who stalked toward them as Ember did the same, as if the two wanted to corner the heroes.

"Which one?" Theo asked slyly. His eyes rested on Ember. She flexed her fingers over her guitar's strings. The motion made Theo's tail snap restlessly.

"Good point," Danny chuckled. "Okay, I'll take twiddle dumb over here, and you can take twiddle stupid over there."

"Sounds like a plan," Theo said, nodding.

A second later, all four adversaries attacked.

A/N: Oh! Cliffhanger! I feel like I haven't given one in a while, which is probably wrong, but this one seemed fun at the time. What was weird was the part with the Guardian, Lydia. My real name is actually that, so it's weird writing that name for a character. Yeah. Well, more action is to come in the next chapter. See you guys in two weeks!


	31. Chapter 31 Guardian Negotiations

A/N: Sorry for getting this out late this week. I've had some writer's block this week. Really sucks because I've had no good books here in Peru to cure the block like I usually do. Good news, though. Dec. 5th I'm returning to the States. Or as I'd like to call it, returning to civilization. Okay. On to the chapter. Hopefully it didn't suffer under my block. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Disclaimer: All Danny Phantom characters do not belong to me!

Chapter 31 Guardian Negotiations

"Takashi."

"Yes?"

"What are your thoughts?"

"Your plan is ridiculous. No one knows what's going on except for the human girl, Zara, and I. Leaves too many opportunities for mistakes. There is plenty of room for unpredictable acts from forces we don't know of. That makes it dangerous. No master in his or her right mind would go through with it. Pure stupidity, honestly."

"Stop calling me human girl," Sam snapped at him.

"Sorry, Sam," Takashi said with a guilty grin. She only glared dully back at him before returning her stare to Clockwork. Truthfully, she doubted the time ghost's master plan too. She didn't speak up, though. Takashi had pretty much said everything on her mind.

"I know it's dangerous for all of you," Clockwork said without much concern. He was busy winding his staff's clock up. "What I want to know is if you think you can do your part correctly or not. Everything starts with you, Takashi."

The Guardian pondered the statement for a moment, his hand covering his mouth in deep thought. Sam looked back and forth between the two. She didn't know what to make of this. In a way, she really didn't want to go ahead with Clockwork's scheme. It sounded too harebrained in her personal opinion. Then again, he was the ghost of time and probably knew exactly what he was doing. It was hard to willing trust the mysterious ghost, though.

Clockwork at one point looked up and gave the girl a reassuring smile before going back to his clock. She sighed in confusion. It hadn't reassured her at all.

"Fine," Takashi said suddenly. "I'll do it."

"Just like that?" Sam asked skeptically.

"Yes," Takashi said with a firm nod. "It will either work out perfectly, or I'll be killed. Right now I don't care about either outcome, I've realized. All I know is that I'd regret every moment of my life if I didn't do something right now." He gave a weird chuckle at a thought and said quietly, "I'd be a fun sucker if I didn't do this."

"Well, looks like I'm in too," Sam stated with finality. "Can't go against being a fun sucker and all." She smirked when Takashi glowered at her for her spiteful sarcasm.

"Good," Clockwork said, smiling at their actions. He quickly waved his staff in front of them and watched as a time portal swirled into view. Sam leaned in for a closer look, as if knowing Danny was actually there in that distant time period. It depicted the scene of a dance. All kinds of people were clapping and dancing to an up beat song. The mood of the place interested the girl.

"What do I do?" Takashi asked Clockwork.

"Take this," Clockwork instructed. He handed the Guardian one of his medallions and said calmly, "When you are finished, take it off and you will return here. Your only goal here is to tell Zara of our plans. Make sure she understands that she can't tell anyone else."

"Got it," Takashi said.

"Are you sure?" Clockwork asked slyly, "Zaramama tends to say exactly what's on her mind. You have to make sure she won't do that here. It could be a difficult job." He smiled a little by the end. If he didn't know better, it sounded like he was doubtful of his own plans. No wonder the two were so fretful. But he wasn't worried. Everything was going according to his plan.

"I'm probably the only person she could ever listen seriously to," Takashi said with a knowing smile. He threw the medallion over his head and calmly leaned into the portal. He was stopped when catching the worried stare of Sam. His dark eyes caught hers in that moment.

"Say hello to Danny for me, please," she requested in a quiet tone.

"I can do that," Takashi said with a nod. His smile faded when he saw Clockwork shaking his head no behind the girl. It was too late to take it back. The Guardian was already walking into the portal. In a second, he and the vortex were gone.

"Wait," Sam said suddenly once the Guardian had vanished. A look of confusion spread across her face as something seemed to hit her. "Who's Zara?" she asked Clockwork. "What's she like, and why is she so important here?"

Clockwork opened his mouth to tell her, then he stopped himself. He decided that Sam probably didn't want to know all the truth. Zara didn't need another nonbeliever who had to rely on her. Sam grinned, pleased with herself that she had somehow made the ghost speechless. It was probably the first time that had happened.

"Good question," Clockwork finally said, an annoyed but amused smirk on his lips. "You'll know her when you see her."

"Great answer," Sam said sarcastically.

"Why, thank you," Clockwork shot back.

-Zara-

She couldn't believe that she had let her guard down. It was a horrible mistake. The proud Guardian blamed the current unlucky circumstances on the half sphinx. If he hadn't flung that cake in her face in the first place, she wouldn't be chasing her kidnapped master at the moment. The cat boy was going to pay for this.

Zara blasted through the top deck of the ship and in into the air. It took her a second to take in the scene before her. Ember was back with a new idiot ghost. The Guardian almost laughed at the return of Skulker. In her and Danny's past, the ghost was more of a joke, really. She held that emotion to herself when the sight of his hooded Guardian came into view.

"Lydia the Freakshow!" Zara stated in pleasant surprise. She and the other Guardian hovered over the ship. The bag with Melody in it was no where to be seen. Lydia had successfully hidden it someplace where Zara couldn't see. Always the clever one.

Lydia took off her hood to reveal a pierced face and a small smile. "I thought that was your ghost signature I felt," she said. "Ember didn't tell me it was you, Zaramama. Probably thought I'd make another crazy deal with you like Takashi did. She's still obsessing over the poor Guardian."

"Really?" Zara laughed in delight. "She's so pathetic!"

"You have no idea," Lydia sighed with a shake of her head. "She won't stop talking about him. What's worse is that she keeps comparing me to him now. It is quite annoying."

"Wow," Zara said. "I think I underestimated the ghost's pitifulness." Lydia smiled again. She had always loved Zara's blunt way of expressing things. The Guardian was guaranteed to bring about some laughs. No wonder Takashi had gotten into trouble. It made so much sense now.

"Were you ordered to fight me?" Lydia asked politely.

"Nope," Zara said with a shrug. "Just instinct, you know? You?"

"They ordered me to capture the girl, your master," Lydia answered. "They never specifically gave me a command to go into combat with you."

"Oh, good excuse," Zara praised her friend.

"Thank you," Lydia said with a thin, proud smile. "Years of experience of excuses always comes into use here and there in this day and age. My new master is not one I'd consider with any grey matter, so I believe I have the liberty to sit down and converse with you."

"Wait. Which one of these thick heads is yours?" Zara asked while looking down. She saw Skulker going at Danny. A certain white energy flowed from a gun from the armor on his wrist. It slammed into the ghost boy and sent him right into human form. Tough luck.

"Skulker," Lydia sighed in embarrassment.

"Oh," Zara said, genuinely sorry for her fellow Guardian. It didn't take the comedic factor out of the equation, though. She burst out into giggles at the hapless expression on Lydia's face.

"It is unfortunate," Lydia said. "But it is a wonderful hiatus from other masters. At least he is fair." Zara nodded, not believing a word she said. Lydia finally gave up on the niceties and growled, "If I hear another one of his ridiculously loquacious and conceited diatribes I think I will be forced to kill him in my sleep."

Zara laughed at this. Lydia smiled too, glad to have someone to finally relate and talk to. She hadn't come into contact with another Guardian in a few months. When Guardians were the only ones she talked to, she found herself very verbose when she did meet up with one.

"Come and sit," Zara said as she floated cross legged above the battle scene ragging on below her. Lydia lifted a questioning pierced eyebrow in doubt. Zara sighed before turning invisible. "Happy now?" she asked. "This way they can't see us. They'll think we went somewhere else to take our fight."

"Very resourceful," Lydia said, joining the invisible Guardian. "We can keep an eye on our masters as well. I'm terribly sorry you are stuck with this sorry lot. Humans were never bright masters."

"They aren't that bad," Zara mused. "Very amusing in a way. I'm left to do practically whatever I want with these guys. I've been going crazy with the freedom."

"Crazy with freedom," Lydia repeated. "That was sarcasm, I'm sure."

"You caught me," Zara grinned. "We should have brought some popcorn. These guys are so hilariously serious. Oh, look at the determination on cat boy's face!" The two laughed at the demigod's expense. They conversed for a long while, commenting about the fight here and there as they played catch up.

"When did the ghost boy learn to sword fight like that?" Lydia asked. Danny was still owning the fight between him and Skulker, even without his ghost powers. It slightly impressed the Guardian. It was rare to see such talent in a human these days.

"Only recently," Zara answered. "Captain cat boy has been teaching him stuff."

"Speaking of which," Lydia pointed out, "Theo seems to have already taken care of the situation. How...unfortunate for my masters."

-Meanwhile-

"Need some help?" Theo casually asked Danny. He planed a foot on Ember's shoulder to push her forward so he could tie the knot in the ghost rope around her body easier. She grumbled curses at him under her breath, glaring daggers behind her shoulder. It hadn't taken him long to bring her down. Once her guitar's strings were broken, it was easy to overpower her.

"I'll be done in a minute," Danny told Theo. He gave an alarmed yelp when Skulker flew high into the air and fired some detonations from a group of them stationed on his shoulder armory. The boy picked up his pace as he sprinted away from the well aimed explosions.

Theo glanced up from his tying job only when he heard and felt the explosions of the missiles as they collided with the deck of his ship. He glared at the reckless Skulker before seeing Danny roll deftly out of the smoke the blasts had produced. The boy coughed on the smoke as Skulker laughed loudly in stupid pleasure.

"He won't come back down," Danny coughed over to Theo. "I can't fight him if he keeps flying up there like a coward."

"Then get him to come to you," Theo said simply. He took out some smoke bombs he hadn't used when defeating Ember and tossed them to his friend. "Use these wisely, kid."

"Will do," Danny said as he caught two silver spheres with his free hand. He sheathed his sword in its scabbard on his back and tested the weight of the two bombs in his hands. He grinned up at Skulker and said teasingly, "Let's play ball."

"You won't be so smug when I get through with you, whelp," Skulker yelled down at the smiling kid. He aimed his wrist at the boy and shot another missile in his direction with a sly smile. This one was a heat seeker and sure to hit its target.

Danny flicked his wrist and threw one of the smoke bombs at the incoming projectile like he'd been taught to throw a dagger by Theo. The two objects exploded on impact. A heat wave knocked Danny right off his feet. He didn't mind this time as the smoke enveloped his body. It was all part of his trap.

Theo watched with interest when more smoke flew up from where Danny was hiding in the gray haze. He must have used his last bomb. Theo smiled when he saw Skulker take the bait and fly into the smoke to find the ghost boy. He had trained the kid well.

After strapping his goggles around his head, Danny slowly released his blade while glancing carefully around with his limited vision. Theo had tried to teach him the technique of feeling your opponent in the dark, but Danny had not fully understood it the last time they had practiced.

This time the opponent wasn't Theo. It was Skulker, a hulking piece of metal that had not learned an ounce of stealth over the many years. Danny found himself pinpointing the ghost's location in the fog in seconds. Somehow these type of fights were always easier when Theo wasn't his opponent.

Skulker didn't see the teen coming. Danny came blasting through the smoke with a battle yell and landed right on his shoulders. The ghost tried to shake the kid off him, but Danny managed to hang on to the many pieces of metal armor in all the flinging around.

"Get off me!" Skulker yelled in rage. "I will destroy you!"

"In a sec, dude," Danny said with a laugh. He lifted his sword and shoved it in the small crevice between the ghost's metal neck and torso. He planted his feet on Skulker's writhing shoulders and pulled the tilt of his sword upward. With a firm heave, the entire robotic head of Skulker popped off its body.

Danny watched in surprise as the head spun wildly into the air with the small ghost inside screaming in anger and fear. The rest of the robotic body was dead without the head and the power of the ghost inside it. Danny found himself falling to the deck along with the hunk of scrap metal. The teen and the rest of the machine crashed to the floor. Danny gave a pleased gasp when the head and wimpy ghost landed right in his open lap.

"Danny!" Theo's concerned call was the only warning to what came next.

"Do not move, please," Lydia told Danny calmly. The kid gritted his teeth together when he suddenly felt the cold, sharp edge of a knife pressed up against his throat. The Guardian was behind the boy, her weapon placed in the right spot. How she got there so quickly, Danny would never know.

"Drop your sword and stand," Lydia said as lightly as if they were merely out at a cafe for a cup of coffee. When he hesitated to comply with her demands, Lydia tightened her hold on her knife and pressed it harder against Danny's exposed throat.

"Fine. Okay," Danny said while dropping his weapon. Slowly, he stood with the metal head with Skulker in it still in his hands. Lydia was just reaching for the head with her other hand when it was suddenly taken by another set of swift hands.

"I'd let him go, girl," Zara said as she stood before them with the metal head. Lydia narrowed her red eyes at the other Guardian in frustration. "That wasn't a suggestion," Zara stated.

"I could kill him before you even so dared to move an inch," Lydia said, voice still tranquil and without any emotion. "You do know that." Danny tensed up when she said this. He knew from experience that Guardians could be merciless creatures. Lydia wouldn't hesitate to kill him if she felt too threatened.

"That wouldn't stop me from killing your master, though," Zara said with a sly smile. She shoved a hand into the opening of the metal head and pulled out the wiggling and cursing Skulker by his feet. The head dropped to the ground as Zara dangled the defeated ghost over her other hand which sparked with fiery ectoplasm.

Both their eyes darted to Theo suddenly, similar frowns crossing their features. The young man stopped dead in his tracks, ears drooping in humiliating defeat. He had been trying to sneak away and somehow catch the Guardian off guard, but he hadn't moved a single step before getting caught.

"You stay right there, Theo," Lydia told the demigod kindly. "This will be terminated in just a moment."

"Terminated?" Theo asked, clearly worried by her choice of words.

"Shush," Zara chided him. "The adults are talking." It was an instant flat ears comment, which only brought a smile to the Guardian's lips before she returned her attention back to Lydia and Danny.

"What are your demands, Zaramama?" Lydia asked with a thin smile. Zara was threatening her master's life while she held one of Zara's minor masters hostage. Lydia decided she didn't have much room to negotiate here.

"Give me back Melody, and I'll let this sorry excuse of a ghost go," Zara said.

"Very well," Lydia said. "What about him?" She indicated who she was talking about by pressing the blade of the knife tighter against Danny's skin. Danny gave a small grimace. His eyes pleaded with Zara, begging her to make a good deal to save his life.

"Good question," Zara said in thought. "I don't know. He's not as important as Melody." Danny scowled at her. What was she doing? Was she mad?

"I have a suggestion," Lydia said.

"Go ahead, then," Zara said with a polite nod.

"I'll spare his life if you let Ember go free," Lydia said. "That seems fair, right?"

"I like that idea," Zara said. "It's a deal. You give me Melody first." An evil smirk came to her lips before she added, "And please none of our regular Guardian exchange methods, please. Those are rather nasty."

Lydia only mirrored the smile and snapped her fingers. Her tattoo creatures became visible above them. They held the sack bag with Melody in it. The small ghosts lowered the bag to the deck. Melody struggled out of it and looked around in fear and confusion before getting to her feet and ran toward her Guardian. Theo grabbed her just in time and pulled her out of the transaction going on between the Guardians.

Zara kept smiling and staring at Lydia as she picked up the metal head again. She stuffed Skulker back into it and held it out to the Guardian. At the last second, she drop kicked the object straight over Danny's and Lydia's head and right over the edge of the ship. Skulker's scream faded away as he plummeted into oblivion.

"Cute," Lydia muttered, clearly annoyed by her friend's evil actions. "I will get my revenge for that one."

"Let's see you try," Zara sneered back. She dusted her hands off with some pride on a job well done before turning to Theo. "Cut Ember free, cat boy."

Theo glanced back and forth between Lydia and Zara, trying to understand the game they were playing with each other. It was difficult to tell what either one of them would do at this point. In the end, he complied and whipped out a dagger. Ember smirked at him as he cut through the glowing ghost rope that had kept her in place. He ignored her.

Once she was free, Ember got to her feet, pushed Theo and Melody out of her way with a cruel curl of her lip, and jumped off the side of the ship. Theo suspected she was going to try and save Skulker. He would have laughed at the thought if he hadn't been distracted by the exchange between Zara and Lydia.

"Consider ourselves even," Lydia said, taking her knife away from Danny's throat. Before Zara could react, Lydia slashed her weapon across Danny's side. She pushed the wounded boy into Zara's arms when the Guardian surged forward, and she leapt deftly backwards to stay out of the way.

Cursing under her breath, Zara shoved Danny aside and lunged again for Lydia. The other Guardian laughed at the furious expression on Zara's face. She flew backwards and over the side of the ship just as Zara caught up with her. By that time, though, Lydia had disappeared in the clouds and had her ghost signature well disguised. Zara couldn't pinpoint the well experienced Guardian.

"Curse that Guardian," Zara growled to herself. Her golden eyes scanned the cotton like clouds as they lazily billowed through the perfect blue sky. It was too late. There was no trace of any of the ghosts.

"What is your problem, Guardian?" Theo shouted angrily at Zara. He was bending over Danny, trying to inspect the bleeding wound on his side. The teen only sat on the deck without saying anything. A pained wince was permanently etched in his face as he tried not to pass out.

"What?" Zara asked, confused. She glanced over her shoulder at them with eyebrows raised in surprise. "No one died, did they? The exchange went well. It's like nothing even happened."

"Don't pretend you don't get it," Theo hissed at her. "You kicked her master off the side of my ship! Didn't you for a second think that she'd return the favor? She could have killed Danny!"

"But she didn't," Zara said to defend herself. She jumped off the railing and casually walked over to the pair. Theo had to push Melody away to keep her from bothering Danny as he struggled to keep awake.

Zara tried not to cringe when Theo ripped off a piece of his shirt with his teeth and pressed the fabric on Danny's wound. The boy gave a small cry at the harsh touch, and more blood seeped out and stained the deck. Although the Guardian lightly shrugged off her actions, on the inside she was having trouble getting over her selfish mistake.

"I know you aren't that stupid, Zara," Theo spat at her as he worked frantically at stopping the blood flow. "Even with the knowledge that he'd get hurt, you still kicked her master off the ship. You did it because you wanted to be mean. You didn't care about Danny. All you were thinking about were your selfish, evil wants."

"Point is?" Zara asked expectantly.

"Danny's the only human who has ever treated you like a real person!" Theo shouted at her. Zara stopped in her tracks, slightly stunned by these words of his. "For months he's only seen you as his friend. He was never like me who's only seen you as a slave and Guardian. He's probably your _only_ friend in this world, and you just bargained his life away with a silly, impulsive drop kick!"

Theo gave a long sigh before saying softly, "You don't deserve to be Danny's friend."

Zara didn't have anything to say after that. She fell silent as the words she had been going to say left her. Her eyes rested on Danny, suddenly feeling guilty for her actions. She rarely ever had this emotion, so she didn't exactly know what to do with it at first. The Guardian let it build up inside her as she slowly walked closer to the pair. The contrite emotion festered in her till she felt the need to do something that was thoroughly foreign to her.

"Come on, Danny," Theo told his friend. "Don't blackout on me, dude." This time he took off his entire shirt and pressed it against the bleeding side. The wounded boy was losing too much blood. At this rate, he had a chance of dying from blood lose. Danny was too focused on staying awake to thank Theo for sticking with him.

"Move," Zara told Theo as she pushed him aside suddenly. Theo gave a indignant yelp as he was shoved to his butt, but his deathly glower evaporated from his face when he saw Zara take Danny's head in her hands and stare right into his big, blue eyes. He had never seen the Guardian be so gentle with anyone. In fact, he didn't think a single Guardian could be that tender around a human.

"Danny," Zara said seriously and softly into the surprised boy's face, "I'm sorry. You are a true friend, and I shouldn't have done that to you. I was wrong in all my actions and words. I-I'm sorry."

Danny smiled dreamily as he said slowly, "It's okay." With that said, he passed out in her arms.

-Day Later-

Danny woke up with a fierce shiver that racked his entire body. At first he thought it was only his ghost sense. With that fear in mind, he bolted upright, preparing himself for a battle. He was met with nothing but an empty sleeping quarters. Deserted hammocks swung with the movement of the ship. Other non stationary objects rolled lazily across the floor to each smooth sway.

"Heh, what a weird dream," Danny said to himself after realizing he was in no real danger. He kept looking around in paranoia as he said this, rubbing his arms to get some warm circulation going in them in the freezing cold room.

Out of the blue, Danny's side gave him a strong, powerful surge of pain. He doubled over in his hammock with a strangled cry escaping him. When he could breathe properly again, he lifted his shirt to see a layer of white bandages wrapped around his stomach. He had been hurt badly, but he seemed to be recovering nicely.

"Oh, man! That means that dream was real!" Danny said in surprise. "Wait," he said in thought. He tapped his chin with a pensive forefinger as he mused, "Does that mean Zara actually apologized to me? I wasn't dreaming that? Well, even if I ask her, she'd probably claim she didn't. Theo was there, so he had to have heard her. I'll ask him!"

Excited about this plan, Danny struggled out of his hammock. Once out of his covers, the boy felt more cold than expected. He could see his breath each time he breathed out of his mouth. For a second or two the boy stood there shivering and wondering if it was really worth it to leave the blanket that had been keeping him warm a second ago.

Danny decided in the end to bring the blanket with him. With a small flourish, he wrapped the heavy fabric over his shoulders then rushed for the stairs. The blanket flapped behind him as if acting as a superhero cape. The boy smiled at the thought as he rapidly ran up the steps.

Blasting the latch door open, Danny paused to catch his breath. His eyes widened at the white wonderland before him. The entire deck of the ship was covered with a frosting level of snow!

"Good morning, sleepy head," Theo chuckled from the helm. "Have a nice nap?"

"What put you in a good mood?" Danny grinned as he joined his friend at the controls. His head kept turning his head to take in the beautiful sight of the falling snowflakes. "It can't be the weather. You hate the cold."

"No kidding," Theo muttered. He was bundled up in a giant coat with a fuzzy hood. Even with the warm clothing, the poor demigod was shivering like a leaf in the dreadful cold. The half sphinx was used to roaming sand dunes with a blistering sun. This was the complete opposite.

"Danny!" Melody shouted with joy as she ran into his leg. She hugged it tightly to show her joy of having him back. The teen laughed as he almost fell over. Theo had to keep him steady.

"How you doing, Mel?" Danny asked her while bending down to her eye level. "You like the snow?" She nodded enthusiastically.

"She's been making snow angels all morning," Theo said with a roll of his eyes. He didn't understand why, but the girl had gotten so much pleasure out of the thing. After about the fifth one with the same level of excitement, the demigod had become annoyed.

"Awesome," Danny said with a grin. "You catch any snowflakes with your tongue yet?" he asked the girl. She looked confused but ready to give it a try. Danny tilted his head back and opened his mouth. Theo smiled mockingly at the absurd sight. "You catch 'em with your tongue," he instructed her. "See?"

Melody mimicked the action and giggled when she felt her first flake melt on her warm tongue. She ran off to another part of the deck to capture more of the snowflakes in her open mouth. Danny and Theo watched her go with smiles. They were glad to finally see the girl come out of her shell.

"So why so happy?" Danny asked Theo again.

"Why do you keep asking that?" Theo said with a smile. He looked out beyond his ship as he steered. He glanced over to Danny when he felt his stare. The teen was smirking knowingly at the demigod. "What?" Theo asked.

"You're still smiling," Danny said. Theo's eyes widened in surprise, and he tried to hide the smile under a pretend frown. "You're really happy, aren't you? Come on. Tell me."

"Fine," Theo said, a smile exploding across his face. He pulled out a letter from inside his giant coat and held it up with excitement. "I got this letter from Rhodes just this morning."

"Oh, wow!" Danny said. Whatever Theo's wife had written, it must have been good news. Her husband was unusually cheerful that day. It was almost eerie for the teen who knew the guy well. "What did it say?"

"After we get done with Poseidon, she wants us to come back to Vlad's Terra and help her with the final planning of overthrowing Vlad and all," Theo said in a rush of words. "But that's beside the point." The young man sighed with unbridled thrill as he grabbed the boy by his shoulders. He stared his best friend right in the eyes.

"This is kinda weird, dude," Danny said with an awkward smile. "What is it? Just tell me already!"

"Danny," Theo said, "I'm going to be a dad."

A/N: Yep! Theo's gonna be a baby daddy! For some reason I see him so adorable as a dad. I'm weird. But finally Zara said she was sorry for something. Probably a first. But I'm excited for the Poseidon chapter. He's my favorite god, actually. And since he was my first god in Phantom Mythology, he's gonna be the last one here. Fun.

Updating wise, the calendar tells me the weekend I'm moving will the same weekend I'm supposed to update this fic. With the move on my mind, I might not have the time to get a chapter out on time. So, either I'll update the day I leave, which is the 5th, or I'll update way later that week. Don't fully expect a chapter in two weeks, but hopefully there will be one. Thanks for all your reviews! I'll be back soon with more!


	32. Chapter 32 Frosty Fights Back

A/N: I apologize for getting this out incredibly late. I know sometimes it seems I don't care about this fic, but I'm really attached to this thing and I try to come out with chapters on time. I've just been so busy from my move. I'm still adjusting and job searching. So until things become more calm, I might be a bit late for updates. I'm sorry. That said, enjoy the chapter. Thank you so much for your reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own any Danny Phantom characters. I might wish to, but that's never gonna happen any time soon. But, hey, some dreams can come true, right?

Chapter 32 Frosty Fights Back

"This is so wrong," Takashi muttered despondently to himself as he pulled on the silk, red tie perfectly wrapped around his neck. Again, he dusted off invisible dust specs on the smooth, black fabric of his suit. A nervous sigh escaped the Guardian as his eyes flittered instinctively around the crowded room full of smiling and joyous dancers and watchers.

Succumbing to his fate, Takashi stepped onto the dance floor. The up beat music pulsed out an addictive and easy beat that made every being in the large room tap their feet or sway their hips. Takashi kept his gaze on his target with a small smile bubbling across his usual stoic features. Just the sight of Zara sent sparks of unfamiliar emotions through his essence. He liked and hated the weird sensations at the same time.

Zaramama was clearly distracted. Even though Takashi was well skilled at concealing his ghost signature, she should have sensed him at that close range. She was dancing with the ghost boy, grinning despite herself.

Takashi found her interesting to watch in this element. He'd never seen her have so much...fun. The shocking thing about that was the fact she wasn't hurting or messing with anyone's poor mind. Instead, that smile of pure joy that had bestowed itself on her face was planted there not by intended misery, but by a simple human dance with a friend.

Phantom suddenly stopped in mid step when his blue eyes connected with Takashi's. Zara was a second behind him. A gasp was suppressed as she spun around to face the other Guardian who had snuck up on her. She was met with the smirking smile of a Japanese teenager.

"Takashi!" Zara whispered, practically choking on the name. "How'd you get here?"

Takashi bypassed the question by leaning past his old friend and asking Danny politely, "Can I take her from you? I think she owes me a dance or two."

Danny was too stunned to respond at first. Quickly, he shook his head to throw off the fragments of shock that still clung to it. He swallowed a lump in his throat before asking the Guardian, "Why are you here? Did Vlad send you?"

"I can't tell you, kid," Takashi said, winking slyly at the teen. "Those were my orders. But someone you know does say hi."

"Someone I know?" Danny asked, confused by this statement. "Who?"

"Look at the time!" Takashi said with an over exaggerated sigh. He didn't look at a watch or clock but merely shot an evil smile at Zara before returning his attention to the teen. "I must be getting this dance in, Danny. So, how 'bout you run off and rat me out to Theo to pass the time?"

"Zara?" Danny asked the Guardian beside him. She was dressed in a lilac colored dress that came down to her knees. She had crafted the thing to fit her every curve and figure in her preferred form. It was the first time Takashi had seen her use the outfit. He found himself liking it on the girl.

"Shoo, kid," Zara told the boy with a wave of her hand. "Let the adults talk, okay?"

"You sure?" Danny asked, unconvinced that something other than evil would conspire between the two if unattended for only the briefest of moments.

"Scram, clueless," Zara said with a grin, right into Danny's face.

"Please don't do anything stupid, Zara," Danny said with a heavy sigh before sluggishly walking away in a pout.

"Was that a command?" Zara asked after him. The teen's only response was a rapid, cold glare over his shoulder that produced an evil smile on the Guardian's lips.

As the boy left in a frightful kind of sulk, the song changed to one of a slower beat. Zara turned back toward her friend and was surprised to see him studying her in a peculiar sort of way. He then smiled at her as he smoothly took her hands in his own and lead her into the dance like a ballroom expert.

"When did you learn to waltz?" Zara asked after a few steps.

"Recently," Takashi answered with a careless shrug. "My master doesn't own the largest ballroom in the world for nothing, you know." He showed her out into an elegant spin before gently pulling Zara back in close.

"You're good," Zara said with a pleased grin.

"I like to pay attention to detail," Takashi said with a sly smile twitching at the edge of his mouth. "Now who taught me that one?"

"Whoever did teach you was very smart," Zara pointed out, expression mirroring the handsome Japanese boy leading her. "The person had to be a genius. And incredibly good looking. Don't you think so?"

Takashi suddenly pulled Zara close so that their noses touched. "Of course," he whispered into her ear. The noise had been so soft, that any normal person wouldn't have caught it. The two looked into each other's eyes then. Zara leaned in for a kiss, but Takashi denied her one when he lead her into another spiral. He smiled viciously at her when she flashed him a look of hurt and want while going into her spin.

"Why are you here, Takashi?" Zara asked the Guardian in a quiet voice when he had pulled her back close to him.

"I'm here on a mission for Clockwork," Takashi answered her question seriously. She almost seemed disappointed with this logical answer. He could see and feel it in her avoiding eyes that skimmed recklessly over the other dancers off to their side.

She had wanted him to be there for her.

"Also," Takashi said, halting their dance. Zara stopped too because he now held her head in his hands. She looked half way between confused and outraged by this point. "I'm incredibly cheesy and cliche for saying and doing this to you," Takashi continued with a nervous chuckle. "But I came here to do this as well." He brought her lips to his and pulled her into a strong kiss.

Breaking away after a few seconds of long awaited for bliss with the Guardian she loved, Zara smiled dreamily before laughing, "Took you long enough, boy!"

-Danny and Crew-

"That's awesome!" Danny said with genuine enthusiasm for Theo's good father news. The two guys laughed in their sudden joy over the subject. "You're gonna be a dad!" Danny kept saying.

"I'm gonna be a dad!" Theo repeated, practically giddy...if that was possible.

"Wait," Danny said. He frowned in thought. Theo paused with his friend, ears flattening in confusion and worry. "You're going to be a dad," Danny said, just this time without the excitement and with more concern. "Theo, you barely know how handle me, and I'm 16. You don't know the first thing about being a father."

"Oh," was all Theo could say at first. Danny watched as the half sphinx had to think over this ordeal before coming to a frightening conclusion. Theo gave the teen a horrified expression before saying simply, "Crap."

"Hey, it's okay," Danny tried quickly to assure his distressed friend. "I'm sure you'll be a great dad."

"Yeah right!" Theo shot back. "I don't even know how to hold a freaking baby!"

"You don't?" Danny said in sure surprise.

"I'm doomed!" Theo wailed. He put his hands on the side of his head as if running his fingers through his hair would quell the panic building up inside of him.

"No, no," Danny said as he waved his hands to stop the demigod. He was desperately racking his brain for a solution to calm the frantic father-to-be down. "You at least know what to do with them after they drink milk, right?"

"Put them to sleep?" Theo asked hesitantly. As the words came out of his mouth, he already knew they were wrong by the growing wince on Danny's face.

"No," Danny said with some disappointment shoved inside his tone. "You burp them."

"You do?" Theo said in complete bafflement.

"Yeah, dude, you're doomed," Danny said flatly.

"Yeth, doomed," a voice agreed from below. Both boys screamed as they jumped away from Zara's new form that had somehow snuck up on them. She was a child of about five or six with a mass of curly, blonde hair atop her head. Chubby cheeks and big, limpid blue eyes made the form look incredibly innocent.

Zara gave the pair a bright and seemingly virtuous smile before saying, "You two are thilly."

"Cut it out, Zara," Danny grumbled, rolling his eyes skyward.

"Aren't I pwitty, mithter?" Zara asked. She somehow widened those eyes of hers more and looked credulously up at the boy.

"How long have you been standing there?" Theo asked her doubtfully. He hoped she hadn't heard him announce the baby news.

"I think I'm pwitty," Zara said, ignoring the half sphinx.

"I think you're annoying," Danny retorted with a grin.

The shocked and abhorrent look that came across the child's face was so different from Zara's original character that it made both boys break out into laughter. It was all fun and games until the little girl kicked Danny in the shin. Then it was Zara's turn to sit back and giggle for a bit. "Oppth," she said, her smile one of fake innocence.

"Ah! Jeez, Zara!" Danny hissed through a grimace. "Do you always have to be evil in disguise?"

"Maybe," Zara answered. She turned to Theo and point blank told him, "The balloonth are frothen, by the way."

"What?" Theo yelled in alarm. His head snapped upward along with Danny's. Sure enough, all three balloons were frosting over. Ice hung off a few. Theo hadn't realized it was that cold. It meant they were very close to Poseidon's Terra. It also meant they were drastically losing altitude. If the air in the balloons got too cold, it meant they wouldn't hold the ship up.

"How do we fix that?" Danny asked no one in particular.

"Can you warm air up on command with your ectoplasm?" Theo asked the boy.

"No," Danny answered, looking perplexed by the random and impossible question. He'd never heard of someone being able to do that. "Can you?"

"Yeah," Theo said with an embarrassed smile flittering across his features. He seriously thought Danny could do that because Theo could do it fairly easy. By the look on Danny's face, though, Theo saw that maybe he was special in that department. "I assume too much, don't I?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Yeth," Zara said with all honesty, nodding. The guys glared down at her. She smiled wickedly, saying without any sincerity, "Tho thorry."

"Danny, you steer the ship," Theo commanded the teen as he jogged over to some rigging and swinging himself up onto it. "Keep it steady. All these snow clouds make it pretty windy around here."

"Got it," Danny said. He secured the blanket over his shoulders before taking hold of the helm. For a second he let himself express a smile. Just a few months ago he was worrying over getting a permit and driving the RV or any other car for that matter. Now he was practically a first mate at steering a massive balloon and solar powered aircraft/ship. He was easily going to pass his driving exam.

Theo climbed nimbly to the first balloon. He struggled through strong gusts of numbing wind as he secured his spot on the netting above the solar balloon full of now cold air. Letting his power circulate down his arms with a slow release of a breath, the demigod calculated how much heat he needed to apply to the air inside the balloon. He clapped his hands in front of his chest, completing a circle of warmth and power inside his arms. Then, with a sly flourish of a smile, Theo pressed his palms against the rubbery surface of the balloon.

Danny looked up when he heard the cracking of ice. He saw the balloon above him flash red as warm air was returned into its insides. The sudden flash of heat melted the ice that had collected on its surface. Now the ice chunks and water from the melting were raining down on the hapless teen.

Screaming, Danny threw up his arms above his head as if in protection. Ice cold water dumped all over the boy, making him sopping wet. Spurting water out of his mouth and shaking the wetness out of his hair that now hung in his face, Danny glared up at the balloon where he could hear Theo's amused laugh.

"You're lucky I'm half ghost and can phase through this!" Danny yelled up at the demigod. The boy half turned away from the controls to be greeted with a grinning Zara. "What?" Danny barked at her.

"Nothing," Zara's little girl form said with a cute giggle. Danny glowered down at her while turning intangible and letting the water pass through his faded body. A puddle formed quickly under him.

In a flash of heat, the second balloon was warmed up, and the waterfall results repeated on the middle of the deck. Melody didn't get wet, but she was close enough to feel the effects to get scared. She gave a short scream in her fright.

"Oops," Theo muttered from where he was above. He chuckled a little and looked up to make his way to the third balloon. There was a sudden break in the clouds. Theo's eyes widened in horror. They had dropped too close to the Terra.

The ship was seconds away from crashing into a mountain of ice!

"Hold on!" Danny shouted the command. He grabbed the wheel with a desperate grip. Zara was by Melody's side in the blink of an eye, smoothly transforming into a gorilla and covering up the master with her massive, harry body to keep the girl safe. Theo gritted his teeth together and flatted himself against the netting of the balloons.

Danny spun the wheel sharply left. He knew they were going too fast to ever brake and prevent a crash with the mountains, but this way they would crash sideways and not hurt the ship as badly as a headlong collision would.

The side of the ship crashed into the mountain side. It made the metal part of the ship decrease all momentum, but the balloons kept pulling ahead. As a result, the ship was scrapped against the side of the mountain till it went over the tip. The balloons pulled the ship along like a person dragging a reluctant dog out the door by the collar, heading for the vet.

Metal crunched in the wake of the ice and snow. It screeched above the noise of screams from the people stuck on their ship that was breaking down right under their feet.

In seconds, the ship had been pulled over the tip of the mountain. The bottom half of the ship had practically been gutted on its rough trek across the mountaintop. Without the thrusters, it could hardly stay in the air. With one last scream of breaking metal, the ship was released from the hold of the cold mountain and was dropped toward the earth like a lone, forgotten toy.

Moaning and groaning with the pains of damage, the ship plummeted toward the ground. It landed on its crumbling side, carrying the useless and deflating balloons along with it. The balloons bounced heavily against the snow covered surface. Theo was thrown off the netting and sent soaring into the air before landing in a roll. He came to stop yards away from the ship and didn't get up right away.

When the snow cloud settled around the ship, Zara stood up in her gorilla from with Melody safe in her arms. She transformed back into her preferred form and looked calmly around. She found Danny a couple feet away. He was curled up in a ball, blanket whipping and undulating in the crisp, harsh wind of winter.

A cracking, rumbling sound alerted the Guardian to look back at the ship. Some of it had sunk more into the ground. Frowning, Zara looked down at her feet. She used a foot to push away some of the snow. Underneath the layer of white powder was ice.

Swearing under her breath, Zara rushed toward Danny. She set the girl down beside his form saying, "We landed on a lake of ice! I'm gonna go get the stuff in the ship before it sinks into an icy wonderland. Oh, don't get up. I'll do it myself."

Danny rolled over to his back, panting hard. He held his wounded side with one hand. The stitches had been ripped open from the crash. Blood seeped out of the bandages and stained the pure white snow with its crimson, alien color.

"Never mind," Zara said, seeing the pain on the boy's face. "You just stay here with Melody, kid. I'll be right back." She looked up and spun her head around, asking, "Where's retarded ol' cat boy?"

She found him a little way off, but she didn't have the time or the want to go see if he was okay. She was sure he could take care of himself. Priority was to get thermoses and rations of food, water, and heating means out of the ship before the depths of the lake pulled it under. In a flash, the Guardian was gone inside the ship.

Meanwhile, Theo was slowly waking up to a certain cracking sound. Bob was hovering like an anxious dog, worried to death about his friend. Theo groggily rubbed his forehead with a soaking wet hand. The sensation quickly aroused the young man's attention. He shifted weight to try and get up but stopped instantly when there was more crunching sounds and wetness.

"Not good," Theo hissed. His head whipped back and forth as he laid flat on his stomach. Apparently, while he was out for those few seconds, the demigod's power had leaked and had warmed the ice and snow. It was melting quickly all around him, making the ice sloshy and wet. But, most importantly, it was making the ice thin enough to break under the pressure of his body weight.

"Hey...uh...Danny," Theo said with some hesitance. He looked up to the teen who was fighting his own battle. This fight dealt with the pain in his side. Theo quickly assessed the new situation. Danny wasn't in the condition to help him. If Theo made any drastic moves, he would be a fur encrusted popsicle in the matter of seconds. Zara was no where to be seen. In other words, he was in deep trouble.

As Theo calculated the dire situation he was in, Zara was flitting around the insides of the sinking ship. Ice cold, black water gushed into the compartments from ripped openings in the thick metal. Zara worked quickly, grabbing whatever she could get her hands on.

A pile of things had began to collect in her arms by the time she heard the loud crack. She glanced upward with worry. Zara knew she was pushing the limits of time, but she was willing to let her masters die in a freak ice lake accident rather than in the chilling wilderness because of lack of food or from frostbite.

The crack Zara had heard had been the ice around the ship. The weight of the ship had broken more patches of ice. With Danny and Melody being so close to the ship, they were in the line of fire. Leaf vein patterns etched themselves in the ice around the two. Whispers of shattering surrounded them. Danny hadn't seen Zara come out of the ship yet. Theo wasn't getting up for some reason. Time was running out for everyone.

"You gotta - ah - you gotta pull me away from the ship, Melody," Danny managed to say through clenched teeth. When Melody shook her head no, Danny yelled at her, "You have to!"

On the brink of tears, Melody rushed toward Danny at his order. She grasped him by looping her hands under his arms. With all her tiny might, Melody began to pull her wounded hero away from the wreck. Danny tried to help her by pushing with his heels, but they were like snails. They weren't going to make it.

Theo was panicking at this rate. His body was too warm. It was melting ice at a rapid pace, which only scared the demigod and Bob even more. He could feel the cracks of ice under and all around him. Trying to shift to a better position on his dying patch of ice, Theo made the wrong move.

"Danny!" Theo screamed right before slipping into the break in the ice and plunging into the cold depths of a black void. The young man was shocked from the harsh squeeze of the freezing fist that had wrapped itself around him. It penetrated straight through his shield of heat powers and rendered the demigod useless. Like a lead weight, Theo sunk deeper into the lake.

Danny gasped when he heard the desperate call of his name. He spun his head around and saw Theo's outstretched hand before it vanished into the water. Bob tried fruitlessly to pull his friend back up, but it was obvious that he was destined to fail. For a split second Danny was in denial of the sight. Quickly, though, he got over it and acted.

"You owe me one," Danny hissed, squeezing his eyes tightly shut in his pain. He pushed himself to find and cling onto the cold core inside himself. He pulled the power out while throwing a hand up into the air. He slammed the palm down upon the ice beside him.

Not a second later, a tower of ice shot out of the water. On top of the tower was the wet and cold form of Theo. The half sphinx coughed up water while shivering miserably. With a shaky and unsteady hand, he pulled himself over to the edge of the ice tower Danny had created for him and looked out and down across the frozen and bare landscape.

"No," Theo growled at the sight. Danny had passed out from his use of power and energy. Melody was practically delirious. She wasn't strong enough to drag the ghost boy away from the sinking wreck. She knew she wouldn't be able to save him. The girl was crying now out of the fear that flashed through her every muscle as she hopelessly tried to pull him to safety.

Rising with what little strength he had, Theo jumped off the tower. He landed in a roll to prevent any further damage to the weakened ice. With a quick pant, the demigod struggled to his feet while ripping off his soggy coat. He ran over to Melody, sliding to a stop beside her on his knees.

"Come on, girl," he ordered her. "Help me move him!" The two of them grabbed whatever they could of the unconscious boy and began to drag him away. They weren't making much progress. Theo was depleted of strength from his near death experience, and Melody was just too little to successfully help the teen out.

Suddenly, Zara blasted out of the ship. Just as she did so, the rest of the ice cracked, the icy waters victoriously captured its metal treasure, and it retreated with the broken ship back into the inky depths. The wave of the splash destroyed the last bonds of weak ice, and the group of three found themselves tilting toward their doom on a platform of frozen water.

Zara dumped the belongings she had obtained on a patch of ice many yards away from where the ship was sinking and her masters were experiencing massive difficulties. She glanced behind her shoulder and made a displeased face before flying back with a sense of rescue on her mind.

"Can't ever take my eyes off you guys, can I?" Zara yelled at Theo and Melody while grabbing them by a shoulder. "Hang onto ghost freak, cat boy! Clam it, blob! You're obnoxious when you scream that way. Ready? Okay, we're out of here."

Gasping in part of surprise, Theo secured a fist full of Danny's shirt a second before Zara took a giant leap backwards with everyone in her arms. She landed in a crouch, skidding across the ice and tossing Theo, Danny, Melody, and Bob to the frozen ground in a flourish of pride and triumph over the elements and time.

After coming to a complete stop, the odd group of heroes slowly started to pick themselves up. Zara calmly walked back to the pile of stuff she had salvaged from the wreck without a care in the world that she had just saved the lives of the entire crew. Melody simply sat in the snow, shivering in her shock. Breathing heavily, Theo got to his feet and tried to comprehend what had happened and what they needed to do next while Bob freaked out in his own frantic sort of way. Danny was still unconscious.

"Well, that was another unexpected turn for the worse," Theo rasped once his head was back on straight. Bob gave one last defiled chirp before glancing over to Theo in a sort of quivering pout. A strong gust of ice defying wind whipped into the group, sending everyone but Zara into instant uncontrollable shivers.

"W-what happened?" Danny asked as he floated awake. "Why am I not dead?"

Melody giggled. Bob and Theo shared a look before Theo said, "Zara took care of it. Don't sweat it, kid. We're fine. Shipless and freezing our butts off, but alive nonetheless. I'm trying to decide if that's a good or bad thing, you know?"

"Ug. This really hurts, guys," Danny told them with a grimace of agony. "Can I go to a hospital now? I'm dying."

"Sure," Theo shot back, smirking. "Right after Melody and I create a snowman."

"Really?" Melody asked in a quiet, hopeful voice. The suddenness of it made the boys laugh. She was just too cute. When she realized they were laughing at her, Melody shied away with freckled cheeks flushing a rosy pink.

Theo glanced to where Zara was. His ears drooped at the sight of a fully packed, brown furred and fuzzy llama. She stared out over the empty land of a miserable white wonderland while chewing heavily on spit and cud like a bored girl with bubblegum in the middle of class. Zara didn't pay anyone any attention, probably in thought.

"Come on, ghost boy. To your feet," Theo sighed. He put out his hand for Danny to take. The teen firmly gripped it and was pulled carefully into a vertical position. Theo let the boy lean against him as they walked toward Zara and her caravan of valuables.

"Thanks for the save, Zara," Danny told the Guardian. The llama didn't say anything, but a look of swelling pride was evident on the animal's furry face. It glimmered in the form's black eyes. Danny shook his head before asking, "You get my sword?"

"Left butt cheek," Zara stated its precarious location with a sly curl of a llama lip. "Put it there in hopes that my poop would land on it in the middle of our travels."

"Oh, gross, Zara!" Danny said, repulsed by this news. He quickly shot out his hand and swiped his sword away form the animal, disgust playing across his face. Zara only continued to chew laboriously upon her cud with inner amusement at the desired and planned reaction.

In silence, the group began their trek deeper into the frosty wilderness of Poseidon's Terra. They couldn't worry too much about their destroyed ship. They'd get a new one somehow. First, they needed to focus on finding the water god and coming up with a way to bring him down. That alone was enough material to keep all heads busy that day.

Till the time came, they were going to walk.

"If you spit on me, I'll make you into a rug, I swear," Theo told Zara flatly.

A/N: -laughs- I love that last line. I can totally see Zara spitting on Theo just for the fun of it, ya know? Well, I'm expecting only a few more chapters are left. We're getting down to the end pretty soon, now that I think about it. I've actually had the entire end planned out for a very long time, so at least I'm not nervous about how to end it.

Thanks again for all your reviews. I'd respond to all of 'em if I miraculously obtained some time to do so. I'll just keep trying to update. Expect another update in two weeks. Till then, have a very Merry Christmas and a freakishly Happy New Year! I'll be seeing you all next time in 2009!


	33. Chapter 33 Whale Food

A/N: Can't believe this came kinda on time. I've been so busy these past few weeks that getting this chapter finished by the end of late Sunday night was a big surprise to me. Hope it doesn't feel too rushed. I wanted to have fun with it, but I still feel like some of it goes by too fast or just isn't very interesting. Oh well. This is the last of the ho-hum chapters! Yay! Go ahead and read!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Danny Phantom characters.

Chapter 33 Whale Food

When Takashi stepped out of the time portal and into Clockwork's ticking domain, hardly any seconds had passed between the time the Guardian had left and had returned. Sam turned away from the ghost of time and smiled surprisedly at the weary looking Guardian. Takashi returned the smile with a worn but successful one of his own.

"Back already?" Sam asked him half jokingly. "Zara must be a pretty understanding Guardian."

The comment put a true grin to Takashi's face. "Not exactly," he muttered. "How long was I gone here?"

"For like a second," Sam answered. "How long were _you_ gone?"

"A few hours," Takashi said after a pause. He addressed Clockwork when he said, "It took some time, but Zara understands the plan. She wanted to come here personally, but I convinced her otherwise. So, now that area of the plan is set. What do I do next?"

"Both of you are going to return to Takashi's natural time," Clockwork explained. When Sam gave the ghost a questionable look, he said, "Takashi now has to take you to his original time before he came here to capture you. He must pretend to continue to behave like the Guardian he was before his emotions. You, Sam, will have to pretend to be his captive."

"Oh, come on!" Sam said after his words had dawned on her. "That's stupid. Why can't we just hang here until the plan is ready? I don't _do_ slave."

"Vlad prefers the term 'freedom challenged'," Takashi joked with a wry smile.

"You, you can just shut it," Sam addressed the Guardian with an accusatory forefinger stabbed in his direction. The Guardian continued to grin back, not threatened in the least bit. The spunky human was amusing, actually.

"Clockwork is right, though," Takashi said, face sobering into a thoughtful expression. "Plasmius expects me back with you soon. If he doesn't see results in the next few hours, he'll know I've betrayed him and will send some other Guardian, a more powerful one, to come after us and kill us both. You know too much information, and I disobeyed my master for the last time."

"Fine. I'll go with you as captive," Sam sighed in defeat. "But that won't stop me from trying to escape." A sly, devious smile glittered across the rebel girl's face at the crafty thought.

Alarm flushed to the Guardian's usual pensive face before he countered quickly, "No! That's not a very good idea."

"And why not?" Sam asked audaciously. She flashed him a daring smile and asked, "What? You think I won't be able to get out? You prejudice against humans or something?"

"Oh, don't pull that card with me, human," Takashi shot back.

"There! You did it again! Why do you still call me human?" Sam confronted the Guardian. "You know, I'm sure a lot of humans are probably just as smart or smarter than you or other Guardians. Like that detective that used to be your master. He was probably a lot smarter than you."

"Your point is?" Takashi asked tersely. He folded his arms across his chest, glaring down at the girl as if she was some nuisance-ridden flea he was gracing with his personal attention instead of crushing her under a heel.

"If you know so many smart humans, then why do you act like you and the rest of the Guardians are so brilliant and superior?" Sam asked.

"Tell me, _Sam_, have you ever plotted the assassination of a world leader?" Takashi asked the girl with a wicked, little grin. When she shook her head no, the Guardian continued darkly with, "You ever plotted the entire thing out so that the people behind the killing all thought they were doing the act by their own free will? That they thought they were doing something great for their country, but really it was you for ten years planting the idea inside their heads and manipulating their choices in life so that everyone's actions came down to that one critical moment they gave the order to shoot the president of the United States of America? Where in the end you were ordered to leave absolutely _no_ traces of yourself or your master? And if you made a _single_ mistake, you would be sentenced to death?"

Sam didn't respond. She stared up at the Guardian, understanding but also fear shown clearly in her wide, violet eyes. Takashi kept staring down at her, eyes narrowed and a vicious smile tauntingly etched onto his face.

"Takashi," Clockwork said seriously. "That's enough. I believe Miss Manson understands."

Takashi's expression vanished from his face as he looked up at Clockwork suddenly. When he saw the stern look of disapproval from the ghost, Takashi glanced back at the girl who still stood there and watched him with saddened eyes. A pang of guilt flared up inside the Guardian, but at the time he didn't know what to do with it.

"Also," Clockwork added with the raise of a small, kid finger, "That hasn't happened yet in this time period, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't give away too much information to your soon-to-be slave." He gave the two a playful smile with an arch of one eyebrow.

"Yeah, that was a whole lot of unwanted information," Sam muttered as her eyes averted to the ground.

Sighing heavily, Takashi returned his hands to his pockets and looked out into the timeless domain of clocks. "Sorry," he said finally after a long pause.

"Look," Sam said, glaring at the floor. "If we're gonna do this right, we have to get along with each other."

"Agreed," Takashi said with a slight nod. He glanced down at her just as she was doing the same but in the opposite direction. When their eyes met, Takashi said, "I'll call you Sam when I am allowed for now on."

"And I'll try not to escape," Sam countered with a wry smile.

"That's the best I'm going to get out of you, aren't I?" Takashi asked with a fed up sigh.

"Probably," Sam grinned.

"How does the ghost boy do it?" Takashi muttered.

Before Sam could retort anything, Clockwork quickly tapped his staff on the ground and opened a portal into the time period for the two. Although now in his old and decrepit looking form, Clockwork successfully managed to push both his guests toward the vortex while saying, "You two are ready to leave. Remember and stick to the plan and everything will work out correctly."

"Hey!" Sam and Takashi yelled as they were forcefully shoved through the swirling surface of the ghost portal. The portal whirled into oblivion a second later. Clockwork smiled at the spot where it used to stand, waving goodbye despite the fact they were long gone by now.

"Rushing usually isn't part of your character," a voice chuckled from behind the ghost. Clockwork turned slowly around to face Cloak Guy just as the man jumped out of another well timed portal. Through the shadows of the hood, Cloak Guy smiled at Clockwork and said, "They were surprisingly easy to manipulate."

"Manipulate?" Clockwork asked mysteriously.

"It's what you do, Clockwork," Cloak Guy said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Don't try to deny it."

"Don't you have someplace you need to be?" Clockwork asked subtly. He flew out of the way of another time portal that had formed into being behind the ghost.

"Fine. I'm going," Cloak Guy sighed. He marched over to the new portal but stopped right in front of its beckoning entrance to say to Clockwork, "This plan of yours better work." With that said and without waiting for a response, Cloak Guy leapt into the future once again.

-Danny and Crew-

"How come you keep your fire powers in a freezing place like this and I can't produce a drop of water in the dessert?" Danny asked Theo as they casually walked beside each other. Zara, still as a llama, and Melody were yards behind the two, and Bob was floating somewhere ahead in the distance. The harsh winds from the beginning of that day had vanished. It was still cold, and they were still traveling across a frozen river, but the minus of the numbing wind had put the group into a better sort of spirit than when they had first set out.

Theo glanced over to his friend when he heard this question. He was slowly eating a piece of beef jerky he had recently heated with his powers to make it eatable. Swallowing, he answered with a cunning smile, "Maybe my powers are just more superior than yours."

"Thanks," Danny retorted with flat toned sarcasm. "You're a big help. I should get more advice from you in the future."

"My services are open 24/7," Theo said, grinning as he yanked off another piece of jerky. "And my charge is free. That's a deal, my friend."

"Then answer me this, oh genius one," Danny said. "How much of a hot head do you think you are? Is that head of yours mostly full of hot air, or is it just empty?"

"That was two questions, sir," Theo said without skipping a beat to their regular banter. "I charge when it's more than one question."

"Stingy," Danny muttered, but he couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Now give me some of your jerky." He lunged for the bag in the demigod's hand, but failed when Theo simply put a hand out and stiff armed the boy. "You can't eat the entire bag, dude," Danny complained.

"Back off, inferior one," Theo jeered in the boy's face. "The genius one needs food to maintain his infinite wisdom."

The smile on the half sphinx's face lowered into a thin frown when he noticed the flash of intense blue in Danny's eyes. Grinning with sudden triumph, Danny leaned back and said, "If you're so smart, then why'd you let your feet get frozen in place?" Theo quickly glanced to his feet, grunting a little when he struggled to get free of his new, icy stockades.

"I'll take that, thank you very much," Danny said, swiping the bag of jerky out of the hands of his stuck friend. He let out a little, obnoxious chuckle while walking nonchalantly away.

"Slippery when wet," Theo warned, crossing his arms in front of his chest and using his heating powers to melt the ice away from his feet. Danny heard the comment and turned his head slightly around to find out what he meant. All of the sudden, his balance was gone. He'd found his way into Theo's quickly made puddle of water. The results were an airborne experience where the kid had no control over his landing on his back.

Theo caught the bag of jerky which Danny had let go of during the disastrous slip. The demigod gave a cringe at the sound of his friend slamming against the hard surface of ice. A groan of pain came from the fallen teen. Theo laughed down at the kid, flaunting his victory in the boy's face by dangling the bag in Danny's eye sight.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Laugh all you want right now," Danny vowed as he flashed into ghost mode and summoned the full power of his ice powers. With a snap of his wrist, Danny commanded the ice under Theo's feet to grow. He liked the speedy results. It seemed like with the cooler, wetter climate, Danny's ice powers were more refined and fast.

A sudden force from underneath his feet threw the demigod into the air. Theo gave a yelp of alarm. He twisted his cat body around in the air to land in a crouch. A few yards away, Danny reclaimed the bag of jerky with a smile of pure smugness. It vanished from his face at the sight of a massive ball of fire hurtling his way.

Screaming in the abrupt fear, Danny swiftly tapped into his easily accessible ice powers as he took a hasty step backwards. He had moved too soon. The ice under foot made him slip once again. Just as his butt hit the surface of the frozen lake, a wall of ice shot up ahead of him and cut off the fireball.

Theo put his cat genes to use as he leapt to the top of the makeshift wall that had protected his friend from his last attack. Grinning viciously, Theo said, "Not half bad, ghost boy." A strong punch delivered another burst of fire in Danny's direction.

"Hey!" Danny screamed as he rolled deftly out of the way of the fire. The ice sizzled as the fireball buried itself deep into the cold surface before Danny's eyes. The teen glanced up at Theo, asking, "What was that for? I could have gotten killed!"

"It's training, kid," Theo shot back. "Just 'cause we aren't on a ship doesn't mean we can't train." He jumped high into the air. On the decent, the half sphinx stuck out his palm in Danny's direction and let more balls of fire blaze.

Danny stood underneath the rain of fire, too stunned to move for the first millisecond. He snapped back into gear with a raise of a hand. On command, a domed blockade of ice transpired between the boy and the fiery danger. He found it easier to create ice here than an ectoplasm shield. Besides, Theo's fire powers had a tad bit of ghostly kick to it. Those fireballs would sting a little if they collided against a ghost shield.

The fireballs dug themselves right into the cold barrier, sending small gushes of melted ice down upon a waiting Danny. The teen watched with exercised patience as Theo landed on the half melted ice shield, cracking it into shards of glittering glass pieces upon impact.

The burst of ice that came afterwards was like the releasing of confetti. The air was full of the tingling of millions of mirrors that reflected the battle that pursued. Theo took the Bo Staff from the last Terra out of his back pocket as he fell down on Danny. The metal whipped out into its full length with a skillful whirl. He liked the prepared and smoothly confident look in his opponent's eyes.

In a flash of steel, Danny released his blade and easily had it in the position to block just as Theo's staff came in to hit Danny in the face. The two weapons collided heavily against each other. Theo and Danny glanced at one another, daring each other with their secret smiles.

The boys pushed each other away with grunts of effort. Theo landed yards away from Danny. He stood there for a second, analyzing the best way for attack while Danny waited with a tilted head in curiosity. The demigod made up his mind a second later and ran straight for the boy in a swift sprint.

Excited that he had a concrete plan for this kind of attack, Danny swiped his hand in a wide arch in front of him while smiling. Walls of ice suddenly shot out of the ground. One was particularly close to the incoming cat boy.

Gasping, Theo put his arm out in front of him and punched at the wall of ice. The fireball was just hot enough to melt a small hole in the wall. The demigod didn't have to break stride at all as he jumped through the hastily created hole and did the same to the others in his path to get to Danny.

"Jeez!" Danny exclaimed when Theo rounded the last wall with the explosion of a massive wave of fire. He lifted his free hand, the palm seeming to bring up the strong wall all on its own. With a push of his palm, Danny forced the wall to surge in Theo's direction.

"Shoot!" Theo grumbled under his breath at the sight of a wall hurdling dangerously toward him. He retracted his staff and flung himself onto the wall, hoping the momentum of the speed at which the wall was moving would keep him from falling. He calculated right. With a bit of a struggle, Theo climbed the wall and scrambled to the top.

"Hello!" Danny chimed brightly, swinging his fist in a punch. The flying force of it sent the unaware Theo right off the top of the wall. He landed in a dazed crouch, a bit on the dizzy side as he managed to stand on wobbly legs.

"Wow. Cheap shot," Theo said with an impressed sort of smile.

"You were the one who taught me that the best form of attack was a surprise one," Danny called down from where he hovered above.

"Fine," Theo said as his rolled his shoulders. He glared up at the ghost boy, saying, "Let's see you try it again."

"Oh, was that a challenge?" Danny asked with a mocking laugh. He was hesitating and wasting time in the air because he was a little out of breath from the skirmish but didn't want to admit it to his teacher.

"Get your butt down here and fight me now, or I'm gonna come up there and kick it for ya," Theo barked.

"Okay. It was a threat. You should have told me in the first place," Danny teased. "Sheesh, Theo. You're so indirect. Whoa!" Eyes wide, Danny watched as one of Theo's daggers phased through his shoulder. If he hadn't been ghost, the teen would have had a second wound to take care of that day. "Hey!" Danny yelled. "Watch it!"

"I'll kick your ass!" Theo taunted the boy. "Get down here, you big baby!"

"Language!" Danny chided like a parent.

"You scold me like that again, and I'll beat you to a pulp, you hear!" Theo said.

"Whoa," Danny muttered out of a stunned, slack jawed mouth.

"What kind of retarded face is that?" Theo asked with a sharp laugh, confused at the slightly comedic facial expression Danny had on. As if a light bulb had gone off inside his head, Theo's face changed into one of fear. Something was wrong here. "What?" he yelled up at Danny.

"That is one freakishly huge fish," Danny called down with a mixed smile.

"Under the ice?" Theo asked. The new tone in the boy's voice calmed him down. The danger was gone.

"Yeah!" Danny exclaimed. "It was monstrously big!" He tried demonstrating the size with his arms, but stopped midway through the motion. "Um...It's getting bigger," he stated, the unease returning to his voice.

"Bigger?" Theo asked, shocked and quite frankly alarmed by this fact. He looked down, trying to see the dark spot where he could see the outline of the giant fish under the ice. "Or is it getting closer?" he asked himself in realization.

"Theo!" Danny screamed. He had come to the same conclusion a second after. He blasted down for his vulnerable friend, racing against the time that had never been on the boy's side. He pulled up fast when a blur of movement flashed across his vision, taking Theo with it. Zara had jumped in just in time.

Not even a second afterwards, the ice where Theo had been standing burst open in a spray of arctic cold water and the wrenching crunch of breaking ice as the nose of the beast rose from the depths. Danny's eyes widened in surprise and fear just as the massive jaws erupted out of the waters. Sharp teeth started to close in around the stationary boy before he got the idea to get out of there. The ghost boy blasted upward with a desperate flare of determination set in his now narrowed eyes.

"No!" Danny yelled just as the sharp teeth closed and cut off his escape. He turned himself intangible and flew at the jaws again. It took slamming head first into the teeth for the teen to understand that it wouldn't be that easy.

Just to make things worse, the beast that now had Danny in its large mouth returned to the icy waters where it had come from. Water leaked into the tight, dark chamber of the mouth as whatever had eaten him plunged deeper into the ocean. The creature shook its head from side to side violently, throwing Danny around in the wet, cold darkness as if he was the new chew toy to a dog.

"Why doesn't my powers work in here?" Danny screamed in frustration as he rolled over the tongue of the beast. Spit and water seeped into his clothes stuck to his skin. At the first notion of his stitches tearing, Danny put his foot down to the reckless beating.

Gritting his teeth through the pain, Danny took his sword and sunk it deep into the tongue of the creature with no sense of pity. Blood spurted from the wound, staining the side of Danny. He gave a half yelp when the natural reaction to pain for the creature was to open its mouth. Water rushed in, slamming hard into Danny. It hit the boy as like a brick wall. A _cold_ brick wall.

For a second, Danny was too stunned by this new, freezing temperature as he floated in this void of dark numbness. With a little mental nudge from the surviving sense still intact inside the ghost's head, Danny saw his chance for freedom and took it with a strong kick of his legs. He thrashed for the opening in the beast's mouth as the waters fogged up with the leaking on inky blood.

Danny escaped the mouth in a swirl of purple water. The boy turned to look behind his shoulder at what he'd come from. It felt like his heart stopped at the monstrous sight. It was a giant orca who had tried to eat him. The whale was roughly the size of Danny's house back home...just ten times bigger. And it was angry, wounded, and still terribly hungry.

Meanwhile, the others above the water were standing and waiting for Danny's return with waning hope of his survival as the minutes ticked by. Tears sprung to Melody's eyes. She buried her face into Zara's leg and didn't let go.

"He'll come back up," Theo snapped at her. "So stop crying like that, girl!"

"She can sob when she wants to!" Zara spat down at the crouching feline.

"You're only saying that because she's your master, Guardian," Theo said. "You don't mean it." Bob frowned a little, not liking where this conflicting conversation was going.

"That was mean to say," Zara said. She nodded a little before admitting, "It's true, but it was still uncalled for. You're pretty heartless for someone on the 'good' side. How ya gonna take care of your new baby when you can't even manage to be nice to a single human soul as kind as Melody, cay boy? Huh?"

Theo didn't answer. His narrowed stare that gazed into the ocean clouded with despondent hesitancy. He was about to lash back with another spiteful comment when he felt a movement underneath the ice. His ear twisted behind his head to hear a faint sound in the distance. Zara turned as well, looking dubious as to knowing what was going on.

When the sound of cracking got louder there, Theo spun his head around to look in the direction of the sound. He swallowed quickly the lump in his throat when the ice burst open. Water sprayed high into the air with the accompany of large broken ice chunks that smashed upon the ice surface in a circle of destruction as the orca rose up in a desperate attempt to recapture a fleeting ghost boy.

When the orca reached the top of it's jump momentum and snapped its sharp teeth shut without any success, it fell back down toward the ice, smashing into the surface and wrecking havoc across the frozen land. Theo rose to his feet, watching as millions of large cracks danced across the ice in a mile radius.

"Not good!" Theo announced the obvious conclusion. Zara picked up her master and prepared for the worst. All four watched as Danny flew toward them at break neck speed. He was shouting something at the standing group, but they couldn't understand it at first.

"Run!" Danny screamed. His words were heeded right as the aftereffect of the falling orca came into being. The first wave rose above the ice, bringing the broken chunks of it with it as it soared higher and higher. It was like a mountain of water to the group of hapless heroes.

By the time Danny reached the others, the wave was already upon them. The entire group watched in stupefied horror as the wave swept them up. An ice patch slammed into Danny. He hung to it as it was carried by the wave. Theo and Zara took to other tiny patches of ice, Bob retreating with a frightened scream into Theo's pocket for warmth and shelter.

"This is nuts!" Theo yelled above the roar of the massive wave. They were crashing through more ice and rising higher as the wave gained speed. His hands dug into the precarious mount of ice he was stationed on. "What was that thing back there? It was huge!"

"It looked like a killer whale!" Danny called over.

"A what?" Theo asked, confused by this answer.

"An orca!" Zara screamed back. "That thing was the size of a city. Wait. What's that?" She was looking at the horizon, squinting her eyes to get the most out of her heightened vision. "Is that an...island?"

"Um...we're gonna fine out pretty soon," Danny said with an anxious smile. He watched as the wave on top began to curl over. It was coming to its last leg of the trip. Here things would get dangerously wet.

"If I die," Theo told the others. "Tell Rhodes I blame you, Danny."

"Oh, thanks, dude," Danny said, nervous smile turning into one of annoyance. Now was not the time to joke. He had no time to reprimand his friend.

The top of the wave seemed to snap in half as it folded over on itself and slammed atop the group with a harsh collision of water. They all surged under the surface. The wave continued to propel them in one direction as the collapsed wave drove them downward and spun them around in a spin cycle from hell. They were all lucky that they gathered enough air before the mindless tumble.

When the water finally calmed down enough, the group was too worn from the ride to try and swim anywhere. Danny's stitches had once again ripped open, staining the ocean waters violet. It took everything in him to hang onto his sword and ride out the rest of the waves on his back.

Theo could hardly swim, so he had a little flash of panic as he returned to the continuing swelling surface for air. He got more mouthfuls of warm, salty sea water than the oxygen he wanted, though. Bob tried his best to keep Theo afloat, but he wasn't exactly helping.

Zara stared up at the cloudless blue sky from where she floated on her back. She held Melody on her chest, patting her back as the girl coughed up gallons of water. The Guardian decided it was best to let Danny and Theo ask for help. She wasn't in the kindest of moods that day. Besides, she was busy wondering how the waters had changed from cold to warm so fast.

A smooth wave pushed the five into land. Danny washed up on his back. Gasping shortly through the pain in his side, the boy didn't make a single move to get up. His one hand curled around the hilt of his sword as he rested his head against the sand he had come upon. He closed his eyes, calmly fighting the agony in his side as more waves beat against the shore.

Beside him, Theo was on his hands and knees, coughing and wheezing salty water in a pathetic sort of way. His fur was soaked and stuck up in weird ways. He looked like a drowned kitten at the way he shivered despite the sudden warm and blazing weather.

"Guys?" Zara said in slight surprise. She was on her feet, helping Melody to her own.

"What?" Theo asked in a hoarse voice. He glanced up at Zara before following her gaze. His eyes widened at the unexpected sight. Danny leaned his head back to see, not knowing if he should smile or frown at what he saw.

Poseidon sat on his lawn chair only three feet away as if he was going to soak up the sun rays on a blissful week vacation from work. The god lowered his sunglasses with dark eyebrows arched in speculation. He looked at what had washed up on his shore without a word or a hint to his emotions.

The god took a long sip from his fruit drink beside him from a straw. It even had one of the tiki umbrella things on the side with a fresh lemon. He regarded the five still, sea green eyes resting on each one as they passed down from person to person. Finally, he gave a soft chuckle, pushed the glasses back up on his nose, and turned the page to his magazine with a wry type of smile crossing his features.

"Guess you guys finally found me," Poseidon stated.

A/N: Fun chapter. Nothing revealing really happened, but fun nonetheless. But after this chapter it will all be centering around the final take down of Vlad. He's the only god left after Poseidon. Also, next chapter Rhodes comes in! Can't wait to use her again.

I probably have already warned you guys, but these next few weeks I'll be terribly busy with trying to work out my new job and stuff. Gonna be hectic at first. So updates won't always be on time. Just expect chapters to show up around their designated weekends. That's all I can promise for now. Till then, thanks for all your awesome reviews, and I'll see you in two weeks with another chapter!


	34. Chapter 34 Rebellion Reunion

A/N: Not the most exciting chapter, but I still had fun writing it. Hopefully you guys will enjoy reading it. Oh, and this week I will make it my DUTY to answer reviews. All of 'em, even just to say thanks. So, have random questions or the such, this is the week to ask. That doesn't mean I'll be able to answer 'em, but I can point you in the right direction at times. So, thank you for your patience for this chapter being delayed, and enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: Own, I do not.

Chapter 34 Rebellion Reunion

Stumbling out of the time portal, Takashi and Sam found themselves in an empty hallway somewhere in the maze that was Plasmius' Tower. It took both of them a second to regain their senses and get back to a functioning level. The second their wits had returned, Takashi's watch blipped softly.

"It's Mac," Takashi said as he brought the communicator to his face for inspection. "Be quiet as I take this." Sam folded her arms in front of her and gave a sigh. She couldn't fake the interest on her face, though, when the hologram of another Guardian sprung to life on the watch face.

"Where did that portal come from?" Mac asked Takashi the second communication was achieved between the two. The dog hologram wagged it's tail with gusto energy, and it's ears twitched with Mac's excitement. "How'd you know it would send you here?"

Takashi frowned. Any lie, good or bad, Mac would be able to see straight through. He might have acted like an idiot at times, but Mac was just as brilliant as the rest of the Guardians. He'd see through any wool Takashi tried pulling over his eyes.

"Look, Mac," Takashi started while rubbing his forehead with his free hand, "I talked to Clockwork for a few minutes. He gave me the portal here as a gift for our conversation. Okay?"

"Plasmius told us Clockwork was off limits," Mac pointed out emotionlessly.

"I know," Takashi said with a nod. "But I felt like talking to him."

"You can get into big trouble for this, Tak," Mac stated with a raised doggy eyebrow.

"I know!" Takashi repeated, voice rising slightly. "What do I have to do to keep it secret?"

"Oh, that's a tough one," Mac said, tail wagging more with this news. He looked up in thought. Takashi sighed, glaring to the side in annoyance. Sam repressed a smile. As professional and smart as the Guardians wanted to be, they still acted like little kids at times. To a human like her, it was pretty amusing.

"You know those dog biscuits that were accidentally shipped to the Tower twenty years ago?" Mac asked hopefully.

"The ones where the shippers were sentenced to life in prison for messing up the order?" Takashi asked.

"Yep! That one," Mac confirmed with a single nod. "Plasmius kept 'em for some reason. The chiefs know where they are. I want one each time we see each other." The dog grinned evilly as it asked sarcastically, "Is that too hard, Tak?"

"Consider it done, slobber boy," Takashi shot back with a faint, wicked smile. "And if you get your essence into a twist from the old things, don't blame me."

"Fair enough," Mac laughed.

"Oh, and Mac," Takashi said, a genuine smile coming to his lips. "Thanks."

"What?" Mac asked with a disbelieving laugh and an odd expression crossing his dog features, which was hard even for him. "You human or something, man? Stop messing around. Over and out."

The hologram vanished into the watch. Takashi glanced up at Sam and shrugged. He was just happy that his deal to keep Mac silent was simply giving him dog treats. Typical Mac. Although annoying, the Guardian was an easy friend in times of need like this one.

"All you did was say thanks," Sam said with a tilt of her head. "Was that unnatural for a Guardian?"

Takashi smiled at her, saying, "You have no clue." He waved a hand in the air, creating a set of futuristic handcuffs with his essence energy. A lightning quick lunge, and the Guardian had Sam's wrist in one hand. "You better get used to these things," he said while forcefully shoving her hand into one of the cuff holds. "You'll have them on for a very long time."

"Hey! Can't we do this thing at a slower pace?" Sam asked while pulling her other hand away from Takashi so he couldn't catch it. "You're freaking me out."

"Sorry," Takashi said flatly, a sigh accompanying the word. "But Plasmius will be wondering why I'm not by his side already. We have to move fast to evade suspicion. Hold still."

"Look, I'll hold still when I want to," Sam said stubbornly.

"Not anymore," Takashi grumbled. He shoved her back into the wall, forcing a scream from the startled girl. Takashi ignored her constant struggle and protesting words as he grabbed her other wrist and shoved it into place. He brought her hands up over her head and pinned them there as he put his face close to hers. She fell silent.

"From here on out, you don't know my name," he told her in a dark whisper. "We aren't buddies or friends. We hate each other. I'm your captor. I'm no more than that. Be angry. Be scared. I don't care what emotion you choose. I just want you to know that the only emotion I'll show you is coldness. You prepared for that?"

Anxiety churned in Sam's stomach from her rise of fear, but she managed to push it away as she nodded in understanding. "I'm ready," she said.

-Poseidon's Terra-

Danny looked out at the perfectly white sands of the beach and smiled at the soothing sounds of the rhythmic waves. He glanced over to Theo who sat across the table on the same type of comfortable cushion seat the ghost boy was relaxing in with his lemonade. Instead of soaking in the blissful rays of sunlight, the young man was staring at the waters with a look of deep thought placed lightly on his moody features. Danny wondered what his friend was thinking.

Brushing the ponderous emotion off him, Danny returned his stare to the beach and watched as Melody bravely ran into the crashing waves with a shrill scream of joy. The little girl had never experienced the beach. These days, a beach was only part of a long, fairy tale story from a grandpa. It was a shame to think of what Vlad had turned the world in to.

Zara played with her master by transforming into a sea turtle and scooping Melody up on her old shell and dragging her out into the sea for more fun. Bob played parent as he buzzed around the girl with squeaks of worry for her safety. Danny's smile widened at the sight.

"You boys want another round of drinks?" Poseidon asked as he came out of what seemed like nowhere.

"I'm good," Danny said while raising his tall glass. "Thanks!"

"I'm fine," Theo said before taking a small sip of his drink. He quickly put it back on the round, wooden table the three now shared as the god eased into his chair between the two heroes. Theo flashed Danny a serious look that meant they needed to get down to business.

"Alright, Theo," Poseidon said with a humorous laugh and shrug. "Let's talk politics. It's what you want, right?"

"I hate politics," Theo said tersely, taking another sip.

"Then why'd you marry a politician?" Poseidon asked him with a joking smile.

"To balance me out," Theo said, grinning a little. "But this is battle strategy. My territory. I'll warn you now that I'm not backing down. Here it is to you straight: you're either with us or against us."

"So if I suggested that you merely suck me into a silly thermos so I can wait till this war is over, you'd say no?" Poseidon asked with interest.

"Yes," Theo said flatly. "Artemis has already joined us and will supply the Rebellion with her archers. We have Danny. We have Melody. We have Mandrake. That's all we have to our advantage at this point."

"That's not a lot," Poseidon pointed out. "Are you suggesting you want me and my command over the cyclopses that make weapons to join you and your Rebellion so you can have another advantage?"

"Of course," Theo said. "Look, we have brilliant, passionate humans, demigods, and gods on our side. The only thing Vlad has is fearful followers and Guardians. Maybe a handful of ghosts, but they aren't much of a threat. He's out of gods. Danny and I have knocked them off his plate. All we need is some more firepower, more willpower on the Rebellion side, and we're set. You're that last thing we need."

"I'm flattered," Poseidon said after a long swig of his drink. "But I'm in no mood for another war. That's the entire reason why I came here in the first place, young demigod. After Vlad took over, we had no more war. I have my own spot to rule over the waters and relax. I'm done with building weapons at the snap of someone's fingers. I might be good at it, but that doesn't mean I always like it. No more war for me. Understand?"

"Well, guess what?" Theo said with a cruel smile. "There's a war going on right now. Wherever you go, there's always gonna be one. And in this war, you either choose a side, or a side is chosen for you. So you either help us, or we're gonna give you a position in this war you won't like."

Poseidon smirked back at the young man, not knowing if he liked the cockiness displayed so pretentiously on the feline's face. A few centuries ago, the god would have punished any foolish demigod or human who would have addressed him in that matter.

"You and the Rebellion don't have any power over a god such as I," Poseidon finally said with hardness in his voice.

"Try me," Theo said.

"Fine," Poseidon said with a harsh, sharp laugh. "I won't join your silly band of renegades. Your group is incredibly imbecilic if it believes it can overpower Plasmius." He glanced over to a listening Danny before asking in a sneer, "You think this child god is going to give all these humans freedom in the matter of a single night? I could beat the boy with my hand behind my back. He's no match for Plasmius."

"Don't pick on him," Theo said, addressing the issue with an intenseness in his voice. "He doesn't know a thing about that just yet. He'll be fully prepared when the time comes, though. The main issue here is you and how you will benefit the Rebellion."

"I don't know about what yet?" Danny asked with concern. When no one answered him, the boy leaned across the table and demanded, "Theo? What aren't you telling me?Answer me!"

"Shut up, kid," Theo snapped at the upset ghost boy. "You're not part of this." He focused back on the water god and said, "If you choose not to help us, the Rebellion can easily pass the word around that you let Danny and I go free instead of capturing us for Vlad. We'll attack your shipments of water to the Terras. That will put you in a sour relationship with Plasmius, who I'm sure will be coming out here to ask for your help in this war. He'll force you to work for him eventually. And with the Rebellion's sky pirates wiping out your income, I can guarantee you a miserable life here on Terra Poseidon."

Poseidon's lips turned into a deep, pensive frown as he leaned back in his seat. As he pondered over his options for a moment, Theo took a quick sip of his drink and glanced at Danny. The teen looked angry and confused. The glare he kept on Theo was clear proof of those emotions. Theo ignored the stare and expectantly waited for Poseidon to cave into the Rebellion's demands.

"Alright," Poseidon said with a sigh. "Tell the Rebellion they have a deal. I'll make them their weapons in time for the first attack to Vlad's Terra."

Theo grinned in triumph while setting down his glass and saying, "I think you made an excellent decision."

Poseidon shook his head with a smile coming to his rough, handsome features. "Pleasure doing business with you, young demigod," he said, sticking his large, calloused hand out for a shake. "The Rebellion might be a foolish bunch of people, but they chose a very sly, skillful kid to strike their deals."

Theo laughed while shaking hands with the god. "I'll take that as a compliment," he said. "I'm just wondering why you didn't attack us in the first place. You've always been the type of god who struck first then asked questions later." The hand shake with the god was bone crushing. Theo had a hard time containing his wince as he pulled his hand away.

"Oh, I did," Poseidon said, brushy brown eyebrows raising in wonder. "I thought that ghost-impervious orca whale I had sent out found you guys. Did it?"

Theo and Danny shared a look of surprise before they sighed simultaneously.

"Yeah," Danny said with a bitter chuckle. "It found us alright."

-Weeks Later-

Poseidon had been kind enough to let the group stay on his Terra as his cyclops workers built them another solar ship. A few days later, the team had boarded the deck, got the needed supplies for a long journey at the closest island Terra, and were on their way to meet the rest of the Rebellion. Fortunately, the crew didn't encounter any more unwanted difficulties along the way. They were all hoping Ember and Skulker had given up on them, but it wasn't much of a reality. And Danny was constantly weary of another sighting of Cloak Guy. Somehow, none of these enemies showed themselves as the weeks strung swiftly by.

Danny found himself finding a good routine with each passing day. He'd train for a few hours with Theo, learn cooking tips from Bob at lunch or dinner, play with Melody in an attempt to hear her beautiful laugh, win and loose chess games with Zara in the afternoon to practice his banter, and then end the day with some reading from the books Mandrake had given him. He enjoyed the business of each day, but it wasn't enough for the hole in his chest and the homesickness that would keep him awake all night. The teen was happy and proud at himself for improving in so many different areas, but he couldn't help but worry about how this adventure was going to end.

"So, we're supposed to arrive at the Rebellion's main base today?" Danny asked Theo after his stab was avoided with a deft jump backwards from his feline friend.

"If Zara says we're going as fast as she claims, then I guess we will," Theo grunted with a perry of Danny's blade with his staff. He knocked Danny's sword away and maneuvered his staff to come down on Danny's shoulder. The teen threw himself into a roll to his side just as the harsh piece of metal hit the air where he used to be.

"Will Rhodes be there?" Danny asked before he let out a sharp battle cry and came at Theo in a leap. Theo brought up his staff, gritting his teeth as the metals collided in a loud _clank_.

"Don't try to distract me, kid," Theo said with a teasing smile. They battled it out in pure strength as they pressed their weapons against each other.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dude," Danny said, grinning wickedly in return. "I didn't think you'd fall for the mental image of your beautiful, pregnant wife." He stepped a foot forward as Theo was momentarily distracted.

"Quit it, ghost freak," Theo said. "That's like going so low as to remind you of Sam waiting with concern for you back in her own time. Ready to kiss you the second her boyfriend returns." Danny's grin vanished from his face at the memory of his girlfriend, and he took a step or two backwards.

"Point taken," he said quietly.

"She probably sits each night at her kitchen table and awaits your call as she stares at her cell phone," Theo persisted with a smug smirk. "And she doodles inside her notebook each day at school, all the pictures of you."

"Hey! Stop, okay?" Danny snapped into Theo's smiling face. "That's enough. You know I miss her and my family. They're all I got to go back to."

"They're your weakness, Danny," Theo told him with all seriousness now. "You'd give up the entire world for their safety. Your friends in danger can make a situation for you ten times worse when it shouldn't. You and I both know that."

"So?" Danny barked back angrily. "Nothing I can do to stop that."

"I know," Theo said. "But I want to tell you that this war is bigger than the life of one person. If you see my life threatened and you have a mission to carry out, don't save me. Know that I'd rather see you let me die than to blow your chances at taking down Vlad's empire. Destroying Vlad will help the world. My life is not nearly as important as the millions of other lives. You know that, but I just want you to hear it again."

Danny shoved Theo off his sword but didn't move to attack. Theo stood back, taking Danny in with concern. He didn't even have to ask what was wrong. Danny asked weakly, "What if I can't kill Vlad?"

Theo let out a long sigh, face unmoving. "You will," he said finally. "You have to."

Danny didn't look at his friend. He stared forlornly at the floor, winced in regret, and struggled as he asked softly, "What if I don't _want_ to kill Vlad?"

Theo didn't answer. He knew the internal pain of not wanting to take the life of someone despite the fact they were enemy. He'd dealt with it when on a battle field once, all before he had even met Danny. When he refused to kill an enemy warrior in the heart of battle, he was instantly banished from Egypt because it had been considered betrayal to the Pharaoh. Though it had been a hard decision not to kill, Theo knew it had been the right thing in the end. Now Danny was confronted with the same ordeal, and Theo didn't know what to say.

"Theo? Please, answer me," Danny practically begged. He so desperately needed someone's guidance. Theo could see it in his friend's searching eyes. It was a sad sight to see.

"Then you better come up with a better plan pretty quickly," Theo said, his voice staying emotionless. "Because the world's depending on you for their freedom. And freedom _never_ comes for free. Someone has to pay for it." He paused before saying more hopefully, "You'll do the right thing in the end. You always have."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," Danny muttered dejectedly, muffled voice sounding acrid.

Theo swirled his staff into it's compact form with a lurid grin touching his features. "Yep," he said brightly. He bent down to look up in Danny's face and said, "But I'm for once telling the truth. You're a stupid, good kid, Danny. You'll do fine."

"You're not doing it right. I still feel like crap," Danny said. His face scrunched up in baffled frustration.

"Does it look like I care?" Theo laughed. Suddenly, he whipped out his staff again and slammed it down upon the ghost teen's unsuspecting head. "Guess I should have warned you with a heads up," Theo said. His mocking smile was reflected his his eyes.

"Ow!" Danny cried while holding his pain filled head, winces dotting his face. He glared up at his friend and demanded, "What was that for?"

"To make you angry," Theo answered with a shrug. The half sphinx said it as if the answer had always been clear, and Danny had been too slow to grasp the meaning behind the blow. The attitude only produced more of the heated emotion from the boy.

"Why?" Danny said. His hands bunched into fists, ready to punch his friend's lights out.

"Because you're depression is annoying," Theo stated with a smirk. The expression swiftly formed into a grin when he saw Danny release his blade in a lightning fast motion. Just as fast, he brought up his staff. Right before their weapons hit, the ship stopped. It didn't slow down. It flat out stopped.

Balance destroyed, the boys screamed as they were jerked off their feet, and their faces had very personal meetings with the wood of the deck. Cursing like a sailor, Theo dragged himself back to his feet with a groaning ghost boy doing the same beside him. He glared back in the direction where Zara stood proudly at the controls. She flashed him a coy smile before stating, "We're here."

"Huh?" Danny asked, rubbing his head with a fed up sort of expression crossing his face before he noticed the frozen Theo. His eyebrows rose in curiosity, and he stood up taller to lean backwards so as to look around his friend. The sight that both boys were looking at made Danny's head tilt in perplexity. "Who's ship is that?" he asked, pointing.

"The Rebellion's," Theo answered absentmindedly. They watched as the ship, which was at least three times bigger than theirs, slowly came to a rest beside them. With controlled grace, the Rebellion's ship smoothly aligned decks so that it was easier to attach the smaller ship to the bigger one.

Waiting anxiously on the other deck was a young woman with a short but elegant stature. Her wild red hair seemed to float in the wind as her violet eyes searched desperately for the thing or person she wanted. A pair of furry fox ears were flatted with her worry against her head. To magnify her emotions, her two tails swirled like restless snakes behind her.

When her eyes settled on Theo, the smile couldn't be stopped. As if her large, bulging stomach wasn't even there to encumber her, she threw herself forward with smile widening in pure joy and longing.

Danny watched Theo choke on his emotions with a grit of his teeth. The boy smiled slightly when the half sphinx ran to meet his wife. The two lovers made it to their ship's railings. Theo jumped swiftly over to the other boat, hardly noticing the dangerous drop the gap of ships still had between them.

As soon as the two were close enough to touch, Theo rushed in for a deep, tender kiss. Rhodes giggled in her giddy bliss as she pulled him closer by gripping his shoulders and prolonging the passion. Theo brought his hands up to her face but stopped when they burst into blue flames. Gently, he took her head in both his fiery hands as he let his love for his woman come forth. With her electric powers, the kitsune hardly noticed the heat against her body. If anything, it turned her on more.

Stepping around the couple, the leader of the Rebellion, Mr. Mandrake, smiled with the shake of his head at the two before leaping across to the other ship with hands placed calmly behind his back. He walked straight up to Danny, stuck his hand out confidently to the teen, and said, "I believe we've met before, Danny."

"Um...yeah," Danny said, peeling his eyes away from Theo and Rhodes who were still intensely making out. He smiled quickly before shaking hands with the leader. He said jokingly, "You were the one who gave me homework my first day."

Mandrake let out a light chuckle when hearing this, his shoulders bouncing slightly when he returned his hands to behind his back. "Yes," he said. "I do feel like one of those rather unpleasant teachers. But I'm sure some of the knowledge has come in handy along the way."

All Danny could do was shrug. "Guess so," he answered with a guilty smile. "Truthfully, I've been a little busy."

"Well," Mandrake said with a dissipative, short sigh, "At least they will help you now." He glanced behind his shoulder before leaning down to say quietly to the boy, "Can you break up the couple for me? We have important business to discuss, and I'm not sure if Mr. and Mrs. Theo will be much of conversationalists when they're like that."

"Consider it done," Danny said with an evil smile. Mandrake watched with a raised eyebrow in bemusement as the teen ran off to obey the order. The man wondered if that had been the right course of action to bestow on the kid.

Forgetting the half ghost, Mandrake strode his way over to Melody and Zara who stood close by. He hardly noticed the girl as she played a chasing kind of game with Bob around the annoyed Guardian. Zara felt like a bee hive with so many sounds swirling around her. Her glare directed in Mandrake's way clearly stated this emotion.

"You must be the infamous Zaramama," Mandrake said as he stopped in front of her.

"Yeppers," Zara said, keeping a hard stare of intimidation. Something didn't feel right about Mandrake. He wasn't ghost. He wasn't Guardian. He wasn't _fully_ human. He had a hidden power in him that reminded her of Theo's, but it was ten times stronger. She didn't like it. She lifted a single nostril, gave him a face, and said flatly, "You smell."

"To you, I probably reek," Mandrake said with a secret smile.

"I don't like you."

"No surprise there," Mandrake said, unaffected. He stuck out his hand for a shake and said pleasantly, "I want to thank you for taking such special care to the girl and boys."

"It was my job," Zara said, sounding bored although all her nerves were on edge around this guy. She couldn't figure out what he was. That lone fact was very unsettling for someone like her.

"Yes, but you did it," Mandrake said with a smile. His hand was still out for a shake. His dominant gray eyes urged her to shake his hand.

Eyeing the hand wearily, Zara suddenly grabbed it in a surge of her usual prideful bravery. Her eyes found his, and she pursed her lips in astonishment when the touch granted her the answer to what he was. He smiled as she quickly retracted her hand away from his when he let it go.

The sound of water splashing and a cry of outrage disconnected their eye contact. The two turned to see Danny with an empty bucket of water and holding his sides as he laughed at a soaked Theo. Zara instantly broke out into a wide grin at such a novel action. She actually giggled at the downfall of the feline.

"This won't go well," Mandrake muttered.

"His wife will take care of them," Zara said, pushing past the tall man, grabbing Melody by a hand in the middle of her game, and walking over to join the three with a bold smirk upon her lips. Bob stopped in mid flight, quickly changing his course to follow the Guardian with an irritated chirp.

"Oh calm down, you hot head," Rhodes was ordering her husband as he shook off water, ears flat in his silent fury. The half sphinx for once did as he was told with an angry sigh. As Rhodes turned to Danny, Theo mouthed his threats to the boy, instantly frightening the ghost into a nervous grin.

"Wow, look how you've grown!" Rhodes exclaimed at the sight of the ghost boy. She'd always been short, but Danny's height to her was at least two heads taller. She had to stand on her tip toes to grab his head and bring it down for her to kiss him on the forehead. She giggled when his cheeks flushed red.

"How have you been, Rhodes?" Danny asked with a wide smile.

"I'm a planet!" Rhodes said with a laugh. She rubbed her bulging tummy with a fond expression coming to her soft features. "Kind of emotional," she told him. "I'm due any day now."

She turned her head when feeling Theo wrapping his arms around her from behind. The feline was acting like a needy kitten that was desperate for attention around her as he lightly kissed her on the lips again. After a second, the kitsune shoved her man away teasingly and said, "Jeez, Theo. Control yourself. You're making the baby kick."

"There is a baby in there?" came the faint voice of Melody. Everyone looked down to the girl and smiled. She shied away at their stares, retreating to behind Zara's legs.

"You were right, ghost boy," Zara said. "She's cute."

Rhodes smiled at the comment before adverting her attention back down to Melody. "The baby is growing inside my tummy," she told the girl. "In a few days it will be ready to come out and you will be able to see him. Here, you want to feel him? Put your hand on my stomach."

Timidly, Melody reached out and touched Rhodes' stomach. Her face lit up with an excited gasp when she felt it kick. Melody quickly looked up at the others and said, "I felt it! I felt it!" They all laughed. The girl suddenly grabbed Danny's hand and pulled him towards Rhodes. He let out a yelp before his palm was placed against the warm skin of her stomach.

Eyes raising, he made contact with them with Rhodes. She could feel the pride for her in his intense gaze. He thought she was so brave to give life to this kind of world. Instead of expressing it eloquently like he desired to do so, he simply said with a smile, "That's kinda cool."

A/N: A lot of Sam and Takashi will be in the next chapter. At least half the chapter will be of them, so I'm excited to write that. And since I'm opening all this week at my new job and get home at 10, I'm gonna have the time to answer reviews and write stuff. So, expect the next update on time two weeks from now. I'll see you guys then!


	35. Chapter 35 Future Making

A/N: Well, oddly enough, I had this chapter out on time. It didn't get out till Sunday, though, 'cause my Internet card has a limit and I didn't want to go over. Sorry. This week I had a strange surge of inspiration. Maybe the hope of Canada on my horizon has opened up my writing pores. Anyways, fun chapter. Not much action, but fun nonetheless. Takashi and Sam take up most of it. Maybe that's why I liked it so much. You can read for yourself. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own EVERYTHING...except those meddling Danny Phantom characters. Those aren't mine at all.

Chapter 35 Future Making

Takashi found his master in the main dining room of the Tower. It was being prepared for the annual reunion ball for the gods and goddesses. The marble floor was polished to mirror-like perfection. Shining, elegant silver plates and utensils were placed precisely at each seating area. The red cedar table seated 200 guests and took up the entire rectangle shaped room.

Plasmius was conversing with a constant swarm and buzz of his servants. He walked around the room, inspecting the surface of everything like an important critic. Chefs, servants, and maids followed him, all talking rapidly to get enough out of their brief time with the god before briskly walking away to do what they were told.

The ghost spotted his Guardian the second Takashi walked into the room. His red eyes fell on Sam, and he smiled. He turned to his clingy servants and shooed them away with a bored wave of his hand. The results were instant. Everyone stopped talking, spun on their heels, and darted out the doors.

"Ah, Takashi," Vlad addressed the Guardian, "I see your mission was successful."

"Yes, master," Takashi said. He yanked Sam beside him and said emotionlessly, "I have retrieved the human girl you asked for. What are your next orders?"

"Are you so eager for another mission?" Vlad asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you wish me to be otherwise?" Takashi returned with another question.

"Good answer," Vlad said as if congratulating a dog. Takashi didn't react. He kept his face its usual deadpan expression when around Vlad. The ghost didn't like his Guardians showing emotion. He claimed it was unbecoming to their kind as well as a show of weakness.

Vlad proceeded to bend down to look Sam in the eyes. His piercing red gaze bore into her, daring her to say something. With each passing second, Sam's rage rose. Her chest heaved to keep the emotion inside her. But it soon boiled out uncontrollably, and she snarled at the evil man, "This will never work, Vlad! Danny defeated you before. He'll do it again!"

"How adorable," Plasmius chuckled in amusement. "You still think this is the past." He leaned himself closer so that their faces were an inch apart and flashed her a sinister smile. "Or are you hanging onto your hope and anger to make me believe you're not scared?"

"I don't care if you think I'm scared," Sam hissed quietly.

Plasmius stood up suddenly and grabbed Sam's chin in a cold, painful grip. The girl flinched before being forced to stare up at Danny's arch enemy. She swallowed the lump in her throat, gritted her teeth in persistence, and glared at him. He only smiled back.

"If you are not afraid, then I might as well tell you what the days ahead will be like for you," Plasmius said with smooth confidence. "You will be put in a cold, wet cell with one meal a day. Your last few days on this earth will be miserable. The second you come out of the cell, you will know it will be your final hours as well as your pathetic boyfriend's. When Danny gives his life away to save you like everyone knows he will, it will be seconds afterwards when you will join him in the afterlife. Let me tell you now, your death will be slow and painful, a punishment that stupid ghost boy needs after years of foiling my plans. Now, girl, I'm sure you truly have something to be scared at."

Sam shook in his grip, either from fear or anger. Maybe a mix of both those emotions. Either way, when Vlad released his hand from her chin and stepped back to proudly inspect the damage his words had brought to her, one of those feelings propelled her to lunge at him with a sharp, desperate battle cry. Her arms raised into the air for a blow to the ghost's face.

She only got a single step forward before Takashi was between the two. Sam's strike managed to hit the Guardian in his ready, open palm. Before she knew it, Takashi had her pinned painfully to the floor with a knee shoved in between her shoulder blades and a fist full of her messy black hair in his harsh grip.

"You were slow, Takashi," Vlad stated with interest.

"Sorry, master," Takashi said, looking up at the ghost with a slight look of contriteness. "I had the assumption you would want to punish her yourself. Please forgive me for my delayed actions."

Vlad thought about this, staring dully down at the two. "Don't hesitate next time," Plasmius said finally with a shrug. He turned slightly, red cape snapping behind him, before saying over his shoulder, "Bring her with you. I want us to have a talk. Walk with me, Takashi."

"Yes, master," Takashi said with a fervent nod. He swiftly yanked Sam to her feet, ignoring her winces of pain. He held her by her arm. The Guardian knew he had the right grip on the human when she complained that he was cutting off her circulation. Without a word or a glance at his captive, Takashi continued to drag Sam along as he picked up his pace to catch up with the ghost.

Plasmius preferred a kind of silence the first few seconds as the three of them walked down one of the hallways leading off from the dining room. Takashi didn't dare break the quiet air. He took this time to think. Sam followed the Guardian's actions and reverted her eyes to the floor to dwell on the harrowing words from Plasmius.

"I will be leaving sometime soon in the future to visit Poseidon," Plasmius said. "As much as I wished there to be no war, the Rebellion proves to dash these wants of mine. I predict the first attack in a few weeks."

"The Rebellion is not nearly strong and organized enough to overthrow you, master," Takashi stated, hoping that Vlad's good mood would allow him to speak freely.

"You are right, Guardian," Plasmius said, glancing briefly over to his slave. "Nonetheless, they will be foolish enough to strike us soon. My rule can not allow what they stand for. I want to crush them on that first assault. I want to demolish all that they stand for, kill every last one of its members, and make an example out of their failure to any of those who would wish to defy me."

"That is why you seek the sea god's assistance," Takashi stated like before. He only pointed these things out to generate a kind of conversation Vlad liked with all his Guardians. Stating things alerted the ghost to what kind of track the mind of the Guardian was on.

"Correct," Vlad said, nodding. He always liked how Takashi was so in sync with him most of the time. The Guardian, even from the start when he was a rebellious little thing, had always known what Vlad could be thinking and what he was capable of. Conversations with Takashi were usually short and to the point, just how Vlad liked them when speaking to his Guardians. "His command over the cyclopes will be much help to me."

"Do you wish for me to come with you on this visit, master?" Takashi questioned.

"No, that won't be acquired of you," Plasmius said quickly. "I have another task for you that is of most importance." He made sure Takashi was looking at him before saying, "You are to take care of the Sam girl. Make sure she does not escape. Feed her once daily. That is your sole duty until she dies."

"Yes, master," Takashi said. Sam thought he was sounding like a robot. She wondered how he had ever survived this way. No wonder he had been so ready to betray Vlad. He was treated horribly and had no escape...until now.

"Do you know why I've given you this responsibility?" Vlad asked, voice losing its light tone.

"If anything goes wrong, you will know who to blame and who to punish," Takashi answered seriously. Again, it was another statement. It had been two years since he talked this way normally. He missed Ember a lot now. Even their silly banter he wished he could have back.

"Exactly," Plasmius said, smiling. "You understand the consequences of failure, Guardian."

"Yes, master," Takashi said again.

"Good, then," Vlad said with finality. "You may take Miss Manson to her cell. Guard the door until you are summoned by me."

"Yes, master."

Plasmius continued to walk down the hallway with his hands clasped behind his back calmly. Takashi took Sam and dragged her down a hallway that branched off from the first without another word. He kept the pace swift and steady and never so dared as to give the human a glance or open his mouth to speak to her.

They came to an elevator soon enough. Sam peered with much curiosity out the window as they rose high above the waking city. A burning red sunrise was painted on the horizon. Sam wondered if this would be the last time she would see that sun.

The doors opened with a quiet whoosh of wind. Takashi led Sam down many hallways and corridors as if he'd gone this way thousands of times before. Everything looked the same to Sam. She was amazed by the memory of the Guardian. He made no hesitation at any time through their brisk journey. How did anyone know where they were going? Escaping this place would be most difficult. How had Theo done it?

Takashi swiped a card he had in his jacket pocket over a scanner stationed beside one door that looked like a bank vault. The door gave a loud resonating sound when the thick, metal bolts were rolled away to allow the two access. Takashi waited for the door to fully open before charging into the room beyond. After entering, the door closed shut behind them with another _boom_ that seemed to fill the entire chamber.

This room was a long corridor of doors much like the first, but smaller. Sam assumed they were all cells, and this was the jail Vlad had created for people like her and Theo. It was astonishingly cold. Sam found herself shivering in her handcuffs. Panic rose from her stomach to her throat. She feverishly gulped down the emotion. She didn't want to be weak. She needed to be strong.

A door at the end of the lengthy corridor had a touch pad that proclaimed the cell free with a green light. Most of the other pads next to the cell doors were red with a name of the captive stationed inside. Takashi used his card again, flashing it over the pad before punching in a combination of numbers at a lightning quick pace. The distinct noise of the door unlocking sounded. Takashi glanced at it, down the corridor, and then typed in another code.

He pulled Sam inside the room and said quietly, "I turned off the security camera inside your cell for a few minutes. If you have questions, now is the time to ask them."

Sam stood dissonantly beside the Guardian as her senses took in the room. It was small. Very small. She would hardly be able to lay down in the cool, wet room made entirely out of concrete. There was no window. A loop of metal was on the wall as well as the floor at her feet. Instantly, the girl felt like she was going to cry. A small sniff pushed the tears away.

"Do you really think these Rebellion people won't be able to defeat Vlad?" she asked in a whisper.

"If they play their cards right, there is a large chance that they could succeed," Takashi said. Gently now, he took her to the far wall and turned her toward him so that her back was flat against the coarse, misty surface.

As Takashi brought her hands up over her head to latch the cuffs to the loop of metal there, Sam asked shakily, "What will he do to Danny when-." She choked up here, and try as she may, a few tears slide down her face.

Takashi finished securing the handcuffs and glanced down at the human to see her crying softly. "Sam, don't," he told her. He tenderly brought her head up to look at him by placing a finger under her chin. "I'm not going to let him use you at all. You just sit here for a few days and survive. That's all you have to worry about. So...uh...stop crying, please."

"You can't do that," Sam said, sniffing to clear her tears. "He'd kill you on the spot if you let me go."

"I'm not an idiot," Takashi said, eyes hardening. "I know perfectly well what will happen to me."

"I never said you should risk your life for mine," Sam protested.

"I'm not doing it for you, human," Takashi spat back. "If there is even so little a chance of Plasmius being killed because I let you go before he gives the order to kill me, I'm going to take it. I despise being his mindless slave! And if being free means helping you and Phantom along the way, then I'll do anything in my power to do so."

"Good," Sam said with a fretful sigh. "I hate it when boys try to prove themselves by giving their lives away for girls. It's very nice, but it's stupid. Danny knows I'd rather die than to be saved if it kills other people. But he'd never let me go. Stupid boy." She paused here before saying with a sad, wistful smile, "I love him."

"True love," Takashi murmured with a dramatic roll of his dark eyes. He shook his head before saying quietly, "It's a cute quality in humans."

"I'm sure Guardians can have it too," Sam said slyly. "You have to fancy someone in the Guardian world. Why else would you risk so much to get away from Vlad? What's her name?"

"I'll tell you the next time I visit," Takashi said quietly. He stroked her palm reassuringly with a forefinger as he said, "You're a strong human. You'll get through this, Sam."

"You're pretty sweet, Takashi," Sam said. She gave a bitter laugh. "For a Guardian, I mean." For the first time in her history with the Guardian, Takashi laughed.

-Danny-

The boy woke with a start. He sat up quickly in his bed and looked around in wonder. It was hard getting used to having his own room again and a comfortable bed that didn't sway to the rhythm of a ship. He was so used to sleeping half a night in a hammock with a random few hours on watch duty each evening that Danny found himself waking at odd hours the two nights he had stayed at the Rebellion's main base.

"I gotta stop waking up like that," Danny muttered to himself before letting out a yawn and taking the time to stretch. "Gonna give me a heart attack sooner or later." He smiled at the ridiculous idea.

Pulling on his clothes for that day, the teen's eyes were drawn to his lone window that shown bright with sunlight. He could see the other rooms and complexes out there, seemingly floating in the puffy, white clouds that dotted the sky. The Rebellion base was near Vlad's Terra, but no one had found it because of a technology that no one had remembered except for the leader, Mandrake.

To start out his group, Mandrake knew he needed a place of refuge for his people. He found a small gathering of island Terras near the main Terra and called it home. Before doing that, he had created a hologram screen. It covered the place like a sphere of protection, cloaking the area in what looked like sky. The trick had been fooling the gods and goddesses for many years now.

Danny had been blown away when they were given the tour. The island Terras all had bamboo pathways and structures that connected to each other with bridges and ladders which made a tranquil, dream-like appearance to the sky kingdom. Every surface beside a Terra itself was made out of the hollow, lightweight material.

The boy's new outfit given to him when entering the base was some loose, cotton pants and a cotton, robe-like shirt that reminded the boy of the get up of oriental monks. He wasn't even allowed shoes. He didn't mind, though. The outfit was comfortable and great for training with Theo. Everyone else wore them too, except for higher ups like Rhodes and Mandrake. Normal people had dark, navy blue outfits. Nurses and doctors had deep purple. Technical people had rusty red. And warriors like Danny, Theo, and Zara were a brownish orange.

Danny was just leaning his head out of the window, sucking in the fresh air to clear his sleepy head, when there was a rapid knock on the door. Not realizing where his head was, the teen rammed it straight into the top of his window. Danny gave a scream as he lost balance, fell to his butt, and rubbed his head furiously. He hoped he wouldn't be getting a bump. That would just be embarrassing.

"What is your problem?" Zara yelled at Danny as she flung the door open. She loomed over him with a look of confused stress that didn't have the time for his hopeless antics.

"You made me hit my head on the window sill!" Danny grumbled, still rubbing the sore as if the friction would heal it.

"This window?" Zara asked, dubious. "It's harmless, kid. Don't go blaming things on the window."

"I didn't blame the window. I blamed you," Danny corrected her.

Zara put her hands on her hips and gave the suffering boy a look of perilous proportions. Danny zipped his mouth shut and pretended he hadn't said anything. "You want to run that by the five thousand year old Guardian again, boy?" she asked down at him.

"Nope," Danny said, smiling cheerfully. "I didn't say anything."

"Good answer," Zara said. She grinned, stuck out her hand, and helped the teen to his feet. "Now," she muttered in pretend thought. "Why was I here again? Oh yeah! Now I remember. Rhodes is having a baby."

"I know," Danny chuckled at her. "She's been having a baby for months now. It's what female humans do."

Zara crossed her arms and decided to let the jab at her intelligence slide just this once as she returned it with a cruel smile, "Yeah, genius, but she's having it _right_ now. As in, this very instant."

Danny's face went pale in horror. "She's birthing it now?" he managed to squeak out.

"Why else would I visit an ugly face such as yours?" Zara asked emotionlessly.

"Holy crap!" Danny said with a hand on the side of his head. "Is she okay?"

"Let's see," Zara said, tapping her chin. "She's having a baby. Oh, she's peachy, I'm sure. How 'bout you ask her yourself?"

"I...uh...um," was Danny's only pathetic response.

"Oh brother," Zara chuckled in amusement. "You're pitiful. Come on, ghost dork. I'm gonna do you a favor. We're gonna go give fox lady a visit." She quickly grabbed his arm before the boy could escape and began to drag him out of the room. "This is gonna be fun!" she told him over her shoulder, grinning diabolically. "Oh, I hope you puke!"

The bamboo walkways were normal with their capacity until the two neared the infirmary complex. People with purple robes rushed and clogged the pathways, making Danny and Zara wait a few times for things to clear. They managed to get into the large building set upon a Terra, but their luck stopped there when a nurse prevented them from going into Rhodes' room.

"This is Danny Phantom, woman," Zara pressed the blonde, stone faced human. The small, short statured nurse stood at the door as if stationed as a bouncer. Her arms crossed in front of her chest, and she looked up at the Guardian with a hard frown.

"I know who this young man is, Guardian," the nurse told Zara firmly, "But no one but Theo and the medical staff is allowed inside this room. Those are the rules. For once in your life, go by them."

"Hey, don't provoke her, lady!" Danny butted in quickly. He stood between a steaming Zara and the glaring nurse, playing peacemaker. "Are you sure we can't come in?" he asked the nurse politely as he strained to keep Zara at bay. He flashed her a quick smile, saying, "Theo and I are like best friends. And I know Rhodes. They wouldn't mind, I'm sure."

"No means no," the nurse said. She stuck the two with a proud, evil smile before telling them, "I even turned away Mr. Mandrake. You two aren't stepping a single foot inside that room."

Danny and Zara shared glances before they simultaneously turned toward the nurse with wicked and devious intent in their eyes and on their smiling faces. "You sure?" Danny asked one more time.

"Rules are rules, Phantom," the nurse said. Her blue, unyielding eyes seemed to dare the two to try otherwise. "You best go by them."

"Get her!" Zara cried, rushing forward with impatience. Danny didn't need any more prodding. He was right behind his companion with eagerness.

Things happened fast. The nurse jabbed out a palm, hitting it right on the bridge of Danny's nose. She had been quicker than the boy had ever seen Theo move. As he stumbled back a bit with a cry of pain, the nurse grabbed Zara by the front of her shirt, swung her into a wall, and then threw her up over her blonde head with a vicious battle yell. Danny looked up from Zara's fallen form just in time to get the heel of a foot shoved into his gut. With his air knocked right out of him, Danny fell to his butt to struggle for a breath.

"What's this all about?" Mandrake asked as he just then entered the room with Melody and Bob. He put his hands on his hips and looked down with bemusement at the two fallen warriors. He looked up at the smug nurse and asked, "I hope you didn't do this to them for no reason, Miss Angela."

"No, sir," the nurse said with a secret smile. "They wanted to come into the room. I told them no, so they attacked me. I was only doing my job."

"Must have been a badly planned attack," Mandrake observed.

"A human's luck," Zara croaked as she swiftly got to her feet to dust herself off. She shot glares at the nurse the entire time. Bob and Melody got Danny to his feet, the child worried half to death and the blob smiling in morbid amusement.

"I think my nose is bleeding," Danny said miserably.

"It is," Mandrake said, nodding.

"Jeez, lady!" Danny accused the nurse. "You didn't have to be so brutal!"

"Cotton swabs can be found in the room just over there," the nurse said, pointing in the right direction as if her advice would make things all right again.

"Thanks," Danny muttered, stalking off with Melody on his heels.

-Minutes Later-

The group of heroes had decided to settle for less after some more talking to the relentless nurse. They all sat on a bench by the door, waiting for their time to enter the room. All their personalities displayed in their positions and expressions.

Mandrake sat ram rod straight, leg over another, and hands placed precisely on his bent knee as he waited with uncanny patience. Danny was next to him, leaning forward and twiddling his thumbs in nervous anxiety. Melody was after him. She was cross legged and as silent as a mouse. Zara sat beside her, slumping greatly in her seat and looking terribly bored. Bob floated at the end. He was, like in all times of stress, a nervous wreck. It was surprising that he hadn't passed out by now.

After what seemed like hours to most of the group, the doctor walked confidently out of the room they all wanted to get into. He was taking off his bloody latex gloves with a kind, victorious smile on his soft features. He nodded to the nurse before addressing the anticipating ones on the bench. They all seemed to lean toward him when waiting for his words.

"It's all done," the man said with a chuckle. "The birth was perfect. Rhodes and Theo now have a beautiful, healthy baby boy. You guys can go in and see him. But please be quiet."

The group was anything but quiet as they rushed into the room, squeezing their way through the doctor, nurse, and door. Melody and Zara were in first. The little girl gasped in delight at the sight of the baby Theo held in a bundle of cloth. He bent down to show the baby to her.

"I guess cat ears were the dominant gene after all," Zara stated as she stared intently at the small ball of red fur. It had the short, feline fur like Theo's, just a dark crimson color. Large cat ears adorned its small head. Wide, violet eyes stared out at his new world for the first time. What they didn't see was the little, puffy fox tail which was wrapped with him in the blankets.

"He is so...small," Melody whispered in wonder.

"You were that small too, Melody," Rhodes said with a weak smile. She sat on a cushy bed, sweat collected on her brow. She appeared to be worn out but thoroughly pleased with herself. She looked at her husband and baby with happy longing in her violet eyes.

"He's beautiful, Rhodes," Mandrake congratulated the woman. She smiled her thanks.

Bob looked at the baby, hesitantly poked it in the head, and recoiled when the baby's ear twitched in annoyance. He spat something at Theo, and the half sphinx laughed. "He's not _that_ squishy, Bob," he told the green blob. Bob decided to protest with a rapid tirade in his own language that Theo rolled his eyes at.

Theo looked up suddenly when feeling Danny's reluctance. He smiled slightly before taking a step toward his friend and giving the bundle of fur over to the ghost boy. "Hold him, kid," he said to Danny. "It's not like he's gonna attack you."

"I...um...okay," Danny said, scared half to death to have something so small and fragile in his arms now. He laughed nervously before saying, "I just don't want to drop him or anything."

"You won't," Theo said, guiding Danny by the shoulder back to the bed Rhodes was on. While Danny looked down in amazement at the baby, Theo quietly ushered the others out of the room and returned to Danny's side. "He's cute, right?" he asked Danny. "You better think he's cute, or I'm gonna have to beat you up for being wrong."

"He's amazing, Theo," Danny reassured him.

"You alright, hon?" Rhodes asked the boy when she saw tears forming in his eyes.

"Sorry," Danny said, wiping the tears away with his shoulder. "I've just been really thinking about stuff lately, wondering why in the world I'm here and if I should stay. To kill or not to kill Vlad. If it is worth risking all our lives to get rid of Vlad. Just a lot of stuff has been going through my head.

"But this is what it's all about, right?" he asked the two with a bright smile. "The next generation. You guys have already decided that your lives won't be easy or happy ones, but you're willing to fight and to die for your kids or your kids' kids. All you guys want is a place where your kids can be free and prosperous. Vlad in command of everything will never let them live that way. That's why it's so important to fight now. Fight now before it's too late to change the future."

"You're an awesome kid, Danny," Rhodes told him. She leaned forward to rub his arm sweetly. For a second she reminded him of his own mom. He missed his mom and family a lot these days.

"Guess what we're naming the little guy?" Theo asked, throwing an arm around the boy's shoulders. Danny gave him a dubious, confused look. "We named him Danny," Theo said with a smile. "You like it? I always thought it had a certain ring to it. Hey, at least it's better than Bob, right?"

A/N: I wanna draw little baby Danny now. I got this visual of him in my head, and he's freaking cute. Ha ha! Anyways, fun chapter. Next chapter you guys will find out what Mandrake really is and will be accompanied with a pretty sweet fight scene. I'm excited for it! So, I'll be seeing you guys in two weeks!


	36. Chapter 36 Battles In the Bamboo

A/N: Yes, this chapter is terribly late. I know. That is because at the beginning of the week I came down with a really bad sickness that rendered me useless for four days. Horrible, but I won't bore you with my scares. Bottom line, I managed to squeeze this out in the limited time I had. Hope it goes over well. I enjoyed it anyways. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I own everything! -insert evil laugh here- Ahem. Kidding, obviously.

Chapter 36 Battles In the Bamboo

"Comfortable?"

"No."

"Well, I can't fix that," Takashi muttered with a weary sigh. Sam glanced up at him from her new spot on the floor. The Guardian had moved her binds from the wall to the floor to give her a small amount of variety. Now she was forced to sit rather than stand. After a full day of standing, she was almost ready for the change.

Takashi sat down in front of the prisoner and picked up a white paper cup with a straw in it from where he had placed it while coming into the cramped cell. He held it up to the human and said, "This is your meal for today."

"Oh," Sam said in surprise and slight disgust. "You shouldn't have."

The Guardian grinned at the sheer sarcastic resolve in the captive. He held the cup up for her as she took some tentative sips from it. The evil grin widened when the girl choked on her breakfast and gagged before swallowing the nasty stuff down her throat.

"Oh, gross!" Sam rasped. "It's worse than baby food or those horrible health shakes my mom makes when she goes on diets."

"Were you expecting a feast?" Takashi asked.

Sam glared at him. "No," was her curt answer before sipping more of her breakfast-in-a-cup. They were silent for a minute until Sam let her taste buds take a well needed break. She looked up at the Guardian before saying, "You told me you'd tell me her name today."

"I did," Takashi stated after a short sigh of contemplation. He paused before saying quietly, "She was born thousands of years ago. She's the smartest Guardian I've ever known. Wise beyond her years, and someone who really enjoys a little fun. I hear she had no interest in humans or being a well known Guardian until she was summoned by the kings of the Incas. They all treated her well, and the people even saw her as a their corn goddess. It was only then when she bestowed herself a name. Zaramama."

"Wait," Sam said in confusion. "Isn't that the Guardian you had to talk to in the future when back in my time? She's taking care of Danny and the others, right?"

"Oh, would you look at that. You're finished with breakfast," Takashi said with a lazy smile. Sam opened her mouth to protest, but Takashi put his hand up with a stern look of seriousness on his face. "Tomorrow," he said.

"Why?" she demanded with a scowl.

The Guardian got gracefully to his feet and took a few steps backwards to walk out of the cell. He gave Sam a curious look before saying playfully, "Didn't you know? Humans last longer when they have something to look forward to." That said, he pressed the button for the door to close it and watched emotionlessly as his view of a distressed Sam be replaced with the thick door of metal.

Takashi's smile left his face almost immediately. His usual thoughtful frown tried to make its way to his calm features, but a hard scowl refused to go away. He briskly left the prison and headed for the elevator. He didn't have anything to do that day besides check up every now and then on Sam. He was thinking of spending a few hours with Mac. Although annoying, the Guardian was a faithful conversationalist. And right now Takashi needed someone to talk his ear off.

He stopped dead in his tracks in the middle of a hallway.

"Show yourself, intruder," Takashi said with a light smile. He shifted into a casual stance with his hands in his pockets. "No use hiding, ghost."

"Guess not," a familiar voice said from a few yards ahead in the hallway. The figure of Cloak Guy bubbled into clarity as he became visible. He wore an apathetic stance as well. Under his cloak he had a hand resting on his hip, and his hood hid a sly grin.

"Why are you here?" Takashi asked Cloak Guy, sounding indifferent to the subject.

"To help you," Cloak Guy answered simply. "You want to be free from Vlad Plasmius. I know how you can achieve that goal."

"Plasmius is a fair master," Takashi said slowly, raising an eyebrow in interest. "Why would I want to betray him?"

"There are many reasons," Cloak Guy said. He shrugged. "That doesn't matter. All that matters is that you do exactly what I tell you right now."

"What you are discussing with me right now is blasphemy," Takashi pointed out. He kept his voice calm and even. His essence was knotting in his stomach region, though. He was curious as to what Cloak Guy was presenting him, but he knew better than to be trusting. He didn't even trust Zara...and he was fully in love with her.

"Right now all you have to do is use my form as much as possible in front of Plasmius and in the rest of the Tower," Cloak Guy explained. "Don't ask why. It will all be explained later on."

"I don't have to do anything you tell me to," Takashi said with a bored sigh.

"I know," Cloak Guy said, sneaky smile widening in its secretive shadows. "I'll be back soon with more instructions."

Takashi's eyes narrowed as Cloak Guy vanished before his eyes. The Guardian didn't feel the need to chase after him. If the ghost wanted to do damage to the Tower or Plasmius, he'd have already done so. Besides, Vlad hadn't given him instructions of any kind to track the mysterious ghost.

The elevator ride was uneventful except for the intense thought process the Guardian went through. He rode the glass contraption to Level 55 with a serious frown on his face. There was a lot to take into consideration, but he had so very few options left.

By the time the elevator door opened wide and he was standing in front of Mac, Takashi was in the form of Cloak Guy.

"That one's new," Mac pointed out with an impressive grin spreading across his muzzle face. "Where you pick it up?"

"Just from a sky pirate captain Ember killed," Takashi lied flawlessly. "Thought it looked fun."

"You got my dog biscuit?" Mac asked with the roll of his eyes. Takashi could sometimes be such a prideful showoff. Mac hated it, but Takashi was the only Guardian in the Tower that paid any ounce of attention to him. Mac decided he couldn't complain. He needed the company.

"How could I forget," Takashi said sarcastically, pulling out the treat with a sigh. He raised it slightly and said with a thin smirk, "Wanna play fetch?"

"Don't patronize me," Mac grumbled through frowning dog lips.

Takashi was glad he had the comforting shadows of the hood to hide his evil grin.

-The Rebellion Main Base-

As each day passed, the bamboo safe house was filled with a little more people. Danny would see at least three sky ships come into the small port and drop off a handful of humans and other interesting people. The pathways were sometimes clogged with blue and orange dressed members. The tense, upbeat spirits of the place was shared by Theo and his rag-tag crew that stayed there.

Danny was intrigued when he noticed more orange clad warriors running around the base after living there for a week. Although most of the Rebellion members were humans, it wasn't uncommon to see a tail here, strange ears and eyes there, or someone speedily flying to the eating hall for dinner. Demigods and half ghosts weren't as sparse as Danny thought they would be. Even a few ghosts inhabited the area. They had ran from the ghost zone, tired of Vlad's tyrannical rule. It seemed like Plasmius's cruel hand had reached even as far into the chaos filled world such as the ghost zone.

Theo had kept up the strict regiment of Danny's training. They both got up early each morning and would practically train all day in different areas. The two were not alone. Other warriors accompanied them to these places scattered through out the Rebellion base which were designed for the practice of fighting.

Soon Danny found himself being trained for group fighting and battle. Of course he was used to this kind of thing by having Sam and Tucker at his side when ghost fighting, but he was soon learning new things by having to trust the strangers around him. Many were much older than him, (his parents' age) and gave him pointers on different areas in battle. He found himself grateful for their use of wisdom and enjoyable to have by his side all day.

The feeling of community was strong at the base. Everyone was there for one reason but all with a different purpose. Some of the members were held up in meetings all day, strategizing plans of attack for the war ahead. Humans were elected from or for each Terra for a governmental system for the future. When the main power of Plasmius would be taken away, people needed leaders to step in and provide for their Terras. But each Terra had to be treated a different or certain way. The Poseidon Terra would have to have completely different ruling than the Hephaestus Terra for example. One was covered with water, with no humans on it at all. The other Terra, on the other hand, was one big dessert and already had a god with command over a large group of people.

This was all talked and debated about in discussion meetings where a voting system was created. Mandrake went to all these meetings, as he was elected substitute leader for the duration of the war. He had created the Rebellion, so everyone had no problem giving him this high position. Rhodes attended these meetings as well, being part of Mandrake's team and all. She played the part of a politician, and she liked her job as long as she was able to spend a few hours out of the day to be with her husband and new baby. That demand was hardly argued upon. She was well liked by many.

Meanwhile, a different set of humans and demigods were training to fight. Since many of the gods and goddesses had been taken care of by Danny and Theo on each Terra, the war wouldn't need a lot battles. The main strikes would have to be on Vlad's Terra, and the worst battle would be their first.

During a slow day of training, Danny found himself alone with Theo and Bob. They were seated on the slim bamboo railings of a crane operated elevator. The box could hardly fit three personas and swayed lazily in the strong, warm breeze. Below was a misty unknown. Usually under that mist was a training ground. Danny had been on these kinds of elevators and misty areas many of times during training, but he hadn't been in this area ever before and didn't know what he'd find once they started to descend.

"Who are we waiting for again?" Danny asked for the third time that afternoon. He was picking at the metal bracelet on his wrist. It was filled with a mass of complicated buttons. It was preventing him from going ghost and was somehow related to the training session he was waiting for.

"You'll see," Theo said with a tired sigh. He had his feet dangling out over the edge of the small elevator. He smiled slightly when he heard Bob whack Danny on the hand for messing with the bracelet.

They waited another minute before they heard brisk footfalls on the platform connected to the elevator. Danny glanced up from his stare into the unfolding mist and was surprised to see Mr. Mandrake coming toward them. He was dressed in his usual clean and crisp suit and tie. His hands were placed placidly behind his back, and his sharp eyes took them in with a small twinkle of amusement and patient excitement.

"Excuse me if I'm running late, boys," Mandrake said as he walked right onto the elevator and pulled the lever to go down. The elevator gave a sudden jerk before descending into the thick fog. Straightening his orange tie, Mandrake said, "The meetings went later than usual. Thankfully your wife, Theo, can fill in for another hour for me. Have the rules been explained?"

"Only the part where he has to be in human form," Theo answered. "After he finds Bob and his powers on the bracelet are activated, he doesn't know what to do."

"Alright," Mandrake said. He turned to Danny and instructed, "Somewhere down where we will be training, there will be this." He pulled out a golden coin the size of a quarter from his front pocket and held it up between his forefinger and thumb for Danny to see clearly. It seemed to sparkle even without the light of the sun. "After you are allowed ghost powers by Bob, here, the next part of the session will be to find this coin and get it and yourself into this elevator to complete the training session. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Danny said with a wavering smile.

"Are you uncertain about something, Mr. Fenton?" Mandrake asked. A smile flittered across his lips.

"I know I'll probably totally underestimate you and get hurt," Danny said with a nearly defeated sigh. "That's all I got to say about it." Training had already taught him not to over or under estimate the opponent, but he seriously didn't see a single threat Mandrake could make unless he was a secret Kung-Fu master. But even there Danny wouldn't have too many problems.

"Expect the unexpected, kid!" Theo yelled good naturally at his pupil. "How many times have I told you this?" Danny rolled his eyes, but he answered, "Sixty seven now."

"You make him remember that?" Mandrake asked in confusion.

"Memorizing things helps in battle," Theo explained. "If I have to repeat something to Danny, I've decided to make him remember each time I've said it. It helps."

"Do _you_ think it helps?" Mandrake asked Danny. He raised an interested eyebrow.

"We'll see," Danny said, grinning at the sight of Theo's flattened cat ears.

"Well," the leader of the Rebellion chuckled, "Keep your wits about you, Mr. Fenton, and remember to have an open mind. Good luck." That said, Mandrake took a leap forward and plummeted into the white fog. Danny gave a small yelp and was about to jump after him, but he had to remind himself that he was stuck as a human until Bob got the bracelet off.

"Here's where we both get off," Theo said, getting to his feet in the elevator. He pulled the lever to stop the box. It lurched to a jolting halt. "I'm right behind you, ghost freak."

"Wait, Theo," Danny laughed nervously. "You don't expect me to jump off this thing, do you?"

"Just jump, Danny," Theo said. When Danny shook his head no with concern, Theo struck with a swipe of his foot. Danny nimbly jumped as Theo's heel was swept under him. Just as Danny's feet were coming back down, Theo elbowed the teen in the chest. Danny was knocked backwards and out of the elevator with a sharp gasp of fear. Luckily, he was prepared enough to grab ahold of the narrow ledge of the box before falling to his death below. The entire box swung precariously, and Danny was nearly thrown off. He managed just enough to keep a tight hold on the edge, though.

"Are you crazy?" Danny grunted up at Theo. His fingers dug into the groves of the bamboo as if his life depended on it. When Theo didn't lift a finger to help him up, Danny barked up at him, "A fall like this could kill me!"

"Let go," Theo ordered. His voice was flat and had no amount of humor in it.

Danny refused to obey. Instead, he kicked his feet and muscled up some extra strength to get himself back into the safety of the elevator. He glanced up at a staring Theo and asked feebly, "What?"

"Do you trust me?" Theo asked. A tiny smirk had appeared on his face.

"Maybe," Danny answered with a weak smile.

"Then let go," Theo said sternly. Danny stared ahead, sighing in worry. "Let go," Theo repeated. His face welcomed a proud smile when Danny finally let his hands slip off the edge and gave an anxiety-ridden scream as the mist engulfed his body. Theo watched the boy go before winking to Bob.

"Go," he told his blob friend. Bob gave a mock salute before zipping off in a quick flight. It was only when everyone was gone that Theo took the liberty to throw himself out of the elevator with a daring, fearless leap. He gave a wild whoop while falling through the moist wisps of fog. He was ready for some action.

Danny found himself plunging into a forest of bamboo as soon as the clouds of mist parted and let him see where he was heading. Heart slamming hard against his chest, the teen positioned himself in the air so he wouldn't collide painfully with a bamboo shoot. He gave a panicked gasp when the first few heads of shoots whizzed by his head. Nearly killed indeed.

To stop his quick descent, Danny grabbed with both hands onto near bamboo shoots. He was slowing down too slowly he realized after a second. He wrapped his leg around another shoot and dug a heel into a fourth. The speed gradually decelerated. Danny thought the burning friction in his palms was getting unbearable just as he came to a halt two feet away from the dirt ground.

The boy hung there with wide eyes of subtle terror before letting out a slow sigh of relief. "I'm gonna get Theo back for that one," Danny muttered while throwing his head over a shoulder to look down. He saw how close land was and grunted in disgust. What if he hadn't been quick enough to hang onto a bamboo shoot? He didn't even want to think of the results.

Danny eased himself into a standing position, but he didn't move right away. Instead, he stood and listened closely to his surroundings. He was surrounded by millions of tall bamboo shoots that mixed and crisscrossed each other before jutting into the fogging sky above. Each plant was so close to the next that it was impossible to see anywhere past a few feet ahead. The only sound to be heard was the wind as it flittered through the thick tangle of hollow vegetation.

It was nearly impossible to maneuver through the bamboo jungle. Danny was furiously frustrated when it took him five minutes to get through ten yards of plants. Finally, he stopped and looked up for some kind of miraculous solution to his problem.

"There has to be an easier way," he muttered to himself quietly. He'd been trained to look at situations from different angles. Maybe he was looking at this forest in the wrong way. Getting around on the ground was slow and wearing. Things were too tightly packed. It just wasn't an option.

"Guess I have no other choice," Danny grumbled before latching onto a thick bamboo shoot and beginning to shimmy upward. He found it difficult halfway up it to get a good balance because his weight was making the shoot bent to and fro. Soon, he was rocking back and forth uncontrollably.

"Oh, I've had enough to this!" Danny hissed in aggravation. It was ten minutes into his training session, and he'd only accomplished the prevention of his own death. Fed up, Danny whipped out his sword. In a flash of metal, the tops of all the bamboo shoots in a foot radius were cut off. He heaved himself up and stood on the chopped tops of the shoots.

This action gave Danny a new approach to the bamboo forest. He once again wielded his sword and sliced through a new set of bamboo. As the tops fell unceremoniously to the ground, Danny leapt to the higher perches to repeat the process until he was finally at the zenith level of wooden grass. From there, he sheathed his sword and had no problem balancing on the tops as he ran in a random direction in search for Bob.

The fireball seemed to come out of nowhere. Danny saw it speeding toward him in the corner of his eye. He dove forward with a yelp. The ball of flames hardly missed the boy by inches. The bamboo shoot he landed on bent precariously under the sudden weight. The teen's face scrunched up in alarm when he realized he was about to be propelled in the other direction.

Theo leapt to the top of the forest just as the makeshift catapult Danny had created threw him over the demigod's head. The half sphinx looked up and watched the boy soar over him and land in the most ungraceful matter on his other side. He let Danny regain his balance before attacking with a fiery punch.

Danny smoothly ducked the punch and rounded on one foot for a roundhouse kick to the demigod's open side. Theo turned just in time and caught the unlucky foot. He swung Danny harshly to the side to throw him off balance. Danny had predicted this from him and was ready when he landed solely on the top of a shoot. It waned backwards before flinging Danny back into the air. He came back down on Theo in a flying kick and a loud battle yell.

Grinning with the excitement of battle, Theo watched Danny come at him. At the last second, he jumped backwards to avoid getting kicked by Danny. His heel seemed to create a line of fire as it whirled into a roundhouse kick on the unsuspecting ghost boy.

A cunning smile was allowed on Danny's face as he easily dodged the kick by using the momentum of the bamboo shoot to flip deftly over Theo's head. In a way, he was proud of himself for accommodating to his odd surroundings so quickly. His head was amazingly clear.

Landing in a crouch, Danny sprinted over the tops of bamboo away from Theo. The demigod spun around with a look of brief surprise before beginning his chase.

"Good! You remembered the main goal and aren't distracted," Theo praised the boy from behind. "But how are you going to find Bob? Do you have a plan?"

Danny didn't answer. Theo was only trying to deter him. The boy had already went through millions of different ways to try and find Bob, and came to one conclusion. Him finding Bob would only be by chance until he was presented with more information.

Too late, Danny saw the break in the bamboo ahead. He didn't know there were pathways inside the tangle of bamboo. He didn't have the time to contemplate why as he found himself coming up short in a jump over the ravine and heading straight into a wall of bamboo.

Grimacing, he latched onto the top of a stalk and let his body weight gently pull him downward until it placed him on solid ground. As soon as his toes came into contact with floor, Danny let go of the shoot and let it snap back into place. Theo almost got whacked by the thing and was delayed for a moment before jumping down after Danny.

The dirt trail turned into a maze all too soon for Danny. The boy sprinted down the main pathway, glancing down the small branches from the footpath in search for Bob. He could hear Theo catching up behind him.

Danny knew he wasn't fast enough to ever outrun Theo. He'd have to find some other way to get the demigod out of his hair. Confronting him in a fight would take too long and would wear Danny out.

Out of pure impulse, Danny latched onto a smaller, flexible shoot near him and rounded a corner of the maze. The thin stalk curved distinctly as it was forced to follow Danny around the bend. Danny let his fingers slip off the end when he had out run the shoot. He kept sprinting as the stalk whipped back into place, but not before whacking right into Theo.

The demigod was just quick enough to pull out his Bo Staff and throw it up vertically in front of himself before the shoot slammed hard into it. The force threw Theo right off his feet. The half sphinx grunted in surprise and effort as he skidded to a stop on his knees.

"Excellent," Theo called ahead while springing back to his feet. "You're using the elements to work for you." He finally got around the corner but paused in momentary hesitation. Danny was no where in sight. He had to be hiding.

Smiling like a predator in the heat of the hunt, Theo slunk forward and scanned the bamboo and pathway with keen eyes. Even the faintest of sounds registered in the demigod's alert ears. It was the distant snap of a twig that compelled him to venture down a lone branch off from the main pathway.

He walked right into a trap.

In a rise of snaps, a large number of bamboo stalks that had been strained into horizontal bent positions were all released from their forced postures. Theo's smile warped into a strained grimace as he threw himself forward to dive over one stalk. He had to roll tightly across the ground. A stalk whizzed narrowly over his head. Looking up in alarm, Theo saw a tricky stalk flinging at him that was going to take his feet right off. A daring leap forward, and he dodged it. Gasping he bent over backwards just as the last shoot whipped over him.

Panting, Theo stood back up and looked upon the scene in sweet surprise. Danny had set that entire thing up in seconds. It had given Theo a run for his money. The demigod was certainly proud of his pupil. The boy was getting it.

The pause was only the briefest of a second. With a bounce in his step, Theo ran around another bend in the maze. His eyes widened in pure alarm at the sight. Apparently, Danny had one last trick to pull.

_Wham!_

Danny grinned triumphantly from where he had just slashed his sword. While Theo had been occupied with the small stalks, Danny had put his back into bending a large shoot to his will. Because the stalk was too long to snap back on its own, Danny had assisted it by cutting off the end with his sword the second he saw Theo come around the corner.

The shoot had slammed so hard into Theo's chest, the half sphinx had been forced into a wall of bamboo. He slumped back down to feet with a hand on his aching head. Moaning in pain, the demigod took a shaky step forward before collapsing to the ground with a groan. He didn't get back up.

Knowing his friend would be okay, Danny left Theo and took off with gusto. He easily ran through the maze with the freedom to backtrack and explore now that Theo was off his tail. The liberty must have worked, because it took the teen just about five minutes to barrel down a lone pathway and spot a flying green blob round the corner ahead.

A ball of angry fire just then hit the trail not even a foot away from Danny. Repressing a scream of surprised fear, the boy threw himself around the flames and continued in a desperate sprint toward Bob. He threw a glance over his shoulder and was prepared when Theo jumped down from where he was running on the top of the bamboo with another ball of hot, blue flames building in his hands.

The heat of the swirl of flames consumed Danny's senses as Theo landed in front of him. With a twinge of horror, Danny realized he had made Theo quite mad. The explosive punch aimed at Danny's head was a clear indicator of this emotion.

"What's the matter, Theo?" Danny asked with a cocky grin, and he spun out of the way of fire. He unsheathed his sword and asked as it collided with Theo's staff, "You didn't like the payback?"

"You just gave me the worse chest ache of my life," Theo snapped at the boy. "Don't think I'll go easy on you." It was a promise. Theo unleashed a flurry of blows with his staff with a speed Danny could hardly comprehend. The teen gritted his teeth as he focused hard on the compile of moves as he expertly blocked each attack with his sword or dodge.

Finally, Theo got a good hit in. The blow whacked Danny across the head, and he stumbled away with a wince of pain. It was all Theo needed. The next blow stabbed Danny in the chest. Wind knocked right out of him, the teen doubled over. Theo struck again without mercy as he delivered a hit between Danny's shoulder blades. A cry of pain escaping him, Danny crumbled to his knees.

Coughing for each ragged breath, Danny pulled himself together at the last moment. Theo was giving a knockout blow just as Danny grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it into Theo's face. He rolled to the side as Theo's staff limply hit the ground where his head used to be.

Danny hastily got to his feet and let out a sharp battle cry as he roundhouse kicked Theo in the side of the head while the demigod was furiously wiping the blinding dirt out of his face. It wasn't enough to slow the half sphinx down, Danny knew, so he flung the hilt of his sword above him and brought it down viciously upon Theo's head.

That did it. The demigod fell to his stomach with a hiss of headache agony. Before Theo could get to his feet, Danny jumped over the body of his fallen friend and ran deeper into the maze where he had seen Bob.

The blob was flitting about the pathway, humming an obnoxious tune as he waited to be found. Danny rushed toward him, didn't wait to find out if he had to catch the specter or not, and pounced on the unsuspecting victim with a cry of glory.

"Gotcha!" Danny said as he slightly opened his hands up to peek inside his temporary made prison for the blob. Bob came busting out of the hands that had captured him in a flurry of angry words that Danny didn't understand. The boy stood back with a look of contriteness as he said quietly, "Sorry. I didn't know! I got caught up in the moment. Sorry, Bob."

Bob folded his stubs across his green, jello-like chest and threw his nose into the air. He was refusing to help the teen out now. He was so upset.

"I thought I had to catch you," Danny pleaded with the specter. "I'm really, really sorry! I practically had to knock Theo out to get to you. Can you please take the bracelet off now?"

A look of interest crossed Bob's face at the mention of Theo being taken out. Danny caught this and built upon it by saying, "Yeah, I hit him across the head with the end of my sword! If you get this thing off me, I might be able to show you it again! How 'bout it?"

It was a deal. A chirp of content came from Bob as he nested himself upon Danny's bracelet and began to work the buttons. Quick foot falls around the bend forced the smile off Danny's face. He spun around in time to see Theo skidding around the corner before barreling down the pathway toward the occupied teen.

"Quicker, please!" Danny yelled while backing fearfully away from Theo. The bracelet was on Danny's right wrist, so he wouldn't be able to use that hand while Bob was working on it. Meaning he'd have to use his left hand in the coming sword fight.

A scorching heat hung in the air as Theo approached. The flames licking up his hands and arms were the an eerie, powerful blue and white color as before. With the snap of his wrist, Theo had created a long string of flame like a whip. Theo expertly kept it moving gracefully in the air as if he was a well worn snake charmer.

"That's new," Danny fanned the flames as the best he could, still backing up to avoid getting burned. "You been practicing on your off hours, dude? It shows."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, kid," Theo laughed. "I liked you better when you taunted."

"Alight then. You just sounded like Zara, there," Danny switched tactics with a wicked grin. He could tell he'd struck something of a nerve when Theo's ears twitched backwards. A second and a crack later, Danny was gasping from the sight of the end of his coal colored hair beginning to burn. Wincing, the boy wetted his fingertips with his tongue and put the small flame out.

"Aw, did I singe your hair a little?" Theo asked with mock concern. "Don't give me that stupid, angry frown, kid. Instead, show me what you got."

Prodded by this suggestion, Danny lashed out testily with a weak stab of his sword. Theo jumped backwards with another whip of his line of heated flames. Danny knew something like that would happen and flattened himself against a wall of bamboo as a flash of heat came inches away from burning his exposed skin.

A shrill cry from Bob told Danny that the bracelet was ready to be taken off. The boy glanced down at the blob before throwing himself into a fleeting dive. A crack of fire whipped the spot where his head used to be, giving a thin line of scorch marks on the bamboo wall.

"Keep it open, Bob!" Danny ordered his friend as he came out of the roll in a tight crouch. Bob pulled the bracelet off and gave it quickly to Danny as the teen whirled sideways to face Theo just as the demigod did the same. "Thanks!"

"Come here, kitty cat!" Danny successfully goaded the feline. Theo lashed out with his fire whip. Danny had thrown himself forward and toward Theo at that moment. He brought up an arm to block the flames, flinching in agony as the whip twisted painfully around his raised forearm. He fell to his knees, skidding across the dirt as he flung up the open bracelet and latched it onto Theo's wrist in the blink of an eye.

"What the-?" Theo gasped as his fire powers were instantly cut off. The whip disappeared, and Theo stood there in confusion as he tried fruitlessly to bring his powers back to the surface. A second passed of realization. The demigod urgently whirled around to bring Danny back into view despite the fact he knew he was badly beat.

"Chill, dude," Danny told the half sphinx from where he was crouching behind him. His eyes turned an uncanny whitish blue as a winning grin flashed across the ghost boy's lips. His palms that were placed on the ground created walls of frozen surfaces that surrounded Theo in a swirl of cool mist and the tingling of ice.

Bob congratulated Danny on his job well done with a high five. Danny got to his feet with a small laugh. He could hear Theo pounding on the walls of his new ice prison from inside. Threats could be heard too. Danny gave a tiny wince as one of them included something about his head being chopped off and punt kicked off one of the Island Terras.

"He's not very happy, huh?" Danny asked Bob. The blob giggled a bit with the rare amusement of seeing Theo get his butt kicked. "You better go get that thing off him," Danny told the specter. "What he is yelling _does not_ sound pretty."

The familiar white lights flashed across Danny's body as he turned himself ghost. He pushed off the ground with his feet and was flying at top speed in seconds. He followed the maze from above. From there, he saw that all pathways eventually converged to the center of the maze.

From above, the center of the maze was a huge, bamboo-less arena in the shape of a hippodrome. Powdery, rocky earth surrounded a small, raised platform in the center. A tall wall of bamboo surrounded the deserted arena. The sky was a churning and constant cloud of gray, foreboding smog. On the round platform in the center sat a glittering object. The coin.

The warrior sat himself in a tangle to bamboo on the edge of the arena and peered out over the bare and empty land experimentally. There was not a single sign of human life. Where was Mandrake? Danny had gotten the impression that he would be guarding the coin. It couldn't be _that_ easy.

"Oh, screw it!" Danny growled at himself. "I'll just go get my butt kicked." He could keep an open mind for only so long. He blasted out of his hiding place and ripped across the arena, making a bee line for the coin.

Halfway there, a shadow engulfed him. It was huge. Very huge. _Monstrous_ huge.

A/N: Well, I managed to pull off a cliffhanger finally. I feel like this fan fic hasn't had as many lately. Well, after this week I'll be back on track with updating I suppose, so expect the next update to be on time in two weeks. You guys have been awesome! Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	37. Chapter 37 All That Hard Work

A/N: I had a load of fun this chapter. Although slightly filler, some fun stuff happens here. I'm gonna mix it up a bit by having Danny first and then going to Takashi and Sam later on. Hope y'all digs!

Disclaimer: Everything in this chapter I own...except those Danny Phantom characters.

Chapter 37 All That Hard Work

Danny looked up with wide eyes of alarm and was glad he did. Screaming with the likes of a girl, the teen slammed on his brakes in mid air just as the beast slammed down into a landing not even a yard in front of the boy.

It was a dragon. Scales of ruby red all linked across the massive hide of the beast with the likes of chain mail. It was the ultimate armor for any creature. Thick, leather wings were extended on the back of the dragon. They were slightly folded, but in the ready position for a take off. The neck of the creature was long and snake-like. The head had small, black spikes jutting out at the jaw line. Onyx colored smoke billowed out of the slots that were its nose. Sinister yellow eyes bore into Danny with dangerous intelligence.

Danny suddenly felt like an ant next to the dragon. The beast was at least double the size of the one other dragon he had fought in the ghost zone. And that one looked like a child compared to the perilous severity of power this dragon carried in the air with him. It didn't help with the cold, hard fact that he hadn't beaten the ghost dragon alone. _Another_ dragon had helped. A lot.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Danny muttered in a stunned sort of voice. He watched in amazement as the dragon opened its mouth and out shot a jet of intense, red hot flames. At the last second, Danny kick started his brain and dove out of the way. The dragon followed him with the flames by turning its head. Danny had to put all his focus into his flying to out run the constant spray fire.

Once Danny thought there was no limit to the flames the dragon could produce in one go, the fire cut off abruptly and Danny was left to regain his breath. He stood on the ground and stared behind him where the fire was subsiding before looking back at the dragon. It stood guard over the coin and kept its yellow, piercing eyes on Danny. It seemed to know exactly what Danny wanted.

"Do you talk?" Danny called up to the dragon. He didn't know exactly why he was urged to try and get the beast talking. Theo had told him five times to find out the most you can about your opponent. The ghost dragons could talk, so he thought it was logical that this one could too.

The dragon smiled evilly, but it didn't make a sound.

"Where's Mandrake?" Danny asked in the same loud, slow voice, as if talking to a deaf person or a non listening toddler on a rampage. At least the dragon wasn't shooting jets of fire at him anymore. It seemed to understand him. "Did you eat him?"

The dragon looked perturbed by this question, and it gave a guttural kind of hiss.

"Why am I talking to this dumb thing?" Danny grumbled to himself. He wasn't getting anywhere. He returned his attention to the beast and asked slowly, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

_Wham!_

The tail of the beast had whipped around the large creature so quickly that Danny didn't know what had hit him until he had traveled halfway across the arena and came to a harsh, crashing halt on the ground after skidding painfully on his stomach. Disturbed dust fogged the air, provoking the boy to cough heartily. He was only lucky to glance through the cloud and see the dragon open its mouth to use another strike of fire.

Gasping in both fear and effort, the boy stuck his palm into the air and conjured a ghost shield to dome and protest his body. The stream of fire continued. Danny got to his knees feebly and raised his other palm to secure his shield.

The dragon saw that his fire wasn't affecting its target and closed its mouth to cut off its jet of destructive attack. Puffs of black smoke traveled out of its nose as the dragon edged a little closer to Danny. The boy was getting to his feet, panting and reeling after the devastating blow.

"I thought Theo told me you were bright," the dragon said critically. He looked upon the teen with keen, golden eyes and a knowing smile.

Danny stared, stunned, up at the beast for a brief second before gathering up his bearings and saying evenly, "So you do talk. I thought so. Where's Mandrake?"

"I remember telling you to keep an open mind," the dragon said, voice cryptic.

Shoulders slumping with the realization, Danny asked, "You're Mandrake, aren't you?"

"Correct."

"Figures," Danny muttered. It also confirmed the fact that he'd have to get past the dragon to get to the coin and finish the training session. It wasn't something Danny considered a fun task. He was already winded. He didn't have the strength to fight a full grown dragon.

"You don't seem as surprised as I thought you would be," Mandrake chuckled. The sound of it was more like a rumbling coming from the the throat of a dragon. Danny shrugged. He'd seen a lot in his days. He'd already suspected Mandrake was not fully human. Dragon had just never crossed his mind.

"Yeah, well, I've seen more surprising things than you," Danny said apathetically. "No offense."

"Non taken," Mandrake said. "But you look almost disappointed." His yellow eyes cut deep into Danny, interest and concern prying for understanding in the boy.

This got the teen to produce a fatigued grin. "You're not the guy who just found out he has to fight against a dragon," he told the giant lizard.

"Point taken," Mandrake said with another one of his rumbling chuckles. Danny sensed the conversation was finishing when the dragon brought himself up proudly and narrowed its harsh gaze on him. "Are you ready, Mr. Fenton?" Mandrake asked.

"When am I ever ready for my own butt whoop?" Danny said dispassionately.

Mandrake took this as a yes and opened fired with another intense jet of flames from his mouth. Danny shot into the air at full speed. Knowing he wouldn't be able to defeat the dragon, he decided to throw caution into the wind. At least he was going to go out with a bang. That was the reason why he positioned himself into a dive, turned intangible, and flew down at the coin at break neck speed.

The dragon quickly noticed what Danny was doing. It redirected its aim from Danny to the coin. Just as the ghost boy arrived at the coin, another jet of fire flashed across the platform. Danny had to pull up sharply before he reached out for the coin.

"Ah! Hot!" Danny yelped, retracting his hand from the coin as if it had been bitten by some vile, fanged creature. The fire Mandrake had blown on it had heated the metal to an unbearable temperature for anyone to touch. It was a miracle the coin hadn't melted. It wasn't any ordinary piece of change.

Before another stream of fire could catch him, Danny shot off speedily across the arena. He watched over his shoulder to see if Mandrake would follow. He hardly moved an inch from the platform. Odd.

"So, he's protecting the coin more than attacking," Danny thought out loud. He came to a slow halt well out of the range of the dragon. "And he's gonna keep that coin hot unless I catch him unawares. And there is no way I'm gonna fight that thing. I'd get creamed. Jeez, this is tough."

After a second more of pondering, Danny made up his mind to experiment a little bit more. Many times he came close to capturing the coin, but he was either beaten out of the way by a tail he hadn't seen, hit unexpectedly with a jet of fire and nearly burned to a crisp, or simply bashed over the head with a clawed paw. All these failed attempts rendered the ghost boy breathless and worn out. He returned to his spot on the outskirts of the arena once again to think.

"Alright, new plan," Danny panted. To focus, he put a hand to his forehead to wipe away the small trickle of blood coming from a scratch on his head. He pulled the palm away with a distant frown before looking back at the dragon. "A plan that doesn't involve me getting a concussion."

In seconds, the teen had processed a stratagem to his liking. He blasted back at the dragon and nimbly whizzed by Mandrake's head. His hands blazed a brilliant emerald green as he began to fling ectoplasm energy at the beast. The entire time he did this, Danny was circling and whirling around Mandrake at erratic speeds. He laughed boldly every time Mandrake tried shooting fire at him and missed pathetically. At such close range, nothing could catch the boy.

Very soon, Danny got annoying.

The dragon's eyes narrowed on the boy having his childish fun. He was like an offensive and incessant fly that Mandrake wanted to hurt quite badly. Danny continued to fly all around the beast with reckless enjoyment.

Ultimately, the dragon began to snap at the annoying specter. His sharp jaws came close many times to severing a limb from the ghost, but Danny was just quick enough to evade a fleshy capture. What Mandrake didn't realize was that all his lunging was diverging his attention from the coin. He was gradually stepping away from the golden object.

At a certain point, Danny considered the first part of his plan finished and shot right into the second part. He summed up all he could of the cold core inside him and encrusted Mandrake's entire head in ice in a flash of white light. He put on a rush of speed as he blasted back for the coin. He heard Mandrake melting the ice behind him, but he didn't glance back.

He was so close!

In a whoosh of silent air, Danny's fingers wrapped themselves around the coin, and he phased through the platform and ground. Mandrake knew Danny would now be heading for the elevator box suspended over the fog. Thinking quickly, the dragon took off with a rough, powerful beat of his leather wings. He soared through the air with the grace of any small bird.

The dragon stationed himself above the clouds near the elevator where Theo and Bob were already stationed and waiting to be done with the session. Mandrake would let Danny make the first move. He'd been clever to distract him before, but the kid could only use that trick once on Mandrake.

Danny popped out over the thick mist many yards away from the elevator box. He looked around confusedly before spotting Mandrake and the elevator. The dragon swooped in for another attack. Danny let out a small yelp like a child being caught with an illegal cookie before turning and flying away.

Theo watched the chase with a chuckle. The boy just wouldn't learn from the looks of it. He'd really have to think ahead more than just a few steps to get along. The half sphinx and blob shared guffaws of hard laughter at the sight of Danny almost getting his butt burned off.

"What am I missing?" Danny asked from behind them.

"Whoa!" Theo yelled as he spun around. Bob let out a scream and cowered behind the feline. He peered out around Theo's cat ear and stared disbelievingly at a smug Danny Phantom. "How'd you-? Aren't you-? I'm confused."

"I split myself," Danny explained, pride evident in his voice. "Didn't I tell you I could do that?"

"Since when?" Theo asked in demanding astonishment.

"A while ago. I just rarely use it because it takes up a lot of energy and I don't find many situations where I can apply it," Danny admitted. He looked out at Mandrake as Theo processed this information. Danny willed his other self to absorb back into him. The dragon stopped in mid air and glanced around in perturbed puzzlement. He seemed slightly startled when he spotted Danny waving at him from the elevator, coin held highly in one hand.

A beat of the wings and an elegant soar later, and Mandrake had turned back into his human form. He nimbly landed on the elevator, which swayed with the new weight, and professionally straightened his tie before congratulating the smiling teen in front of him.

"Well done, Mr. Fenton!" he said. The man wasn't breathless at all. He didn't even seem winded. If anything, he looked only slightly more excited than before the training session. Other than that, nothing had changed in his demeanor. "It took you some time, but you seemed to have adapted well in the end." He turned toward Theo. "How do you think he did?"

"Fair," Theo said after some musing.

"Fair enough to pass?" Mandrake asked.

"To pass what?" Danny asked tentatively. His looked back and forth between the two in rising hopeful confusion. Were they talking about what he thought they were talking about? He couldn't help but grin a little.

Theo thought for a second more before nodding. "Yeah," he said finally, "Fair enough to pass training."

"Really?" Danny said in shocked joy. "I'm done with training?"

"Well, at this point I think you'd actually want to keep up the practice of fighting on your own, but you don't have to," Theo said with an easygoing shrug. He then put a hand on Danny's shoulder and said in all seriousness, "Danny, you showed me today that either in human or ghost form, you can fight well. You made your surroundings work for you even when they were challenging. Even a giant, well trained dragon didn't stop you from achieving your goal. And at the end, the part where I doubted you the most, you thought ahead and won the training session. You've come far, kid. I don't have to train you any farther."

Danny's grin was from ear to ear. He pulled Theo into a hug and laughed. The feline was stiff at first but eventually hugged back.

When they pulled away, Theo chuckled and said, "And to think that only a few months ago you could hardly handle a pushup."

-Takashi-

His eyes roamed over his cards in deep thought. This was a crucial part of the game. He would have to tread carefully. One wrong question could cost him an important win.

To buy himself some well needed time, Mac casually reached out for his steaming cup of tea on the table. He sipped at the discolored water and placed it lightly back on the wooden surface. His eyes glanced up at Takashi's from across the table. His fan of cards hid most of his face, but Takashi's narrowed eyes held an evil smirk.

It was now or never.

"Fives?" Mac asked feverishly in a nasally voice. He was in his geek form due to the fact that his paws in his preferred dog from couldn't hold his cards. Besides, Takashi always complained about the slobber.

A dramatic pause.

"Go fish," Takashi answered nonchalantly after a calm sip of his tea.

"Liar!" Mac accused with the flourish of standing up out of his seat and pointing at the other Guardian.

"You always ruin the game by doing this, Mac!" Takashi said with exasperation. "The point of Go Fish is to lie. You think those humans always told the truth? That's too boring."

"Fork the card over, Takashi," Mac demanded.

"Fine," Takashi sighed. He flicked the card at the Guardian like a throwing star and rolled his eyes when Mac failed to catch and got hit in the face with a surprised yelp. Takashi watched the geek human sit back down before muttering, "Look who's acting like a human now."

Mac looked up with interest from his fan of cards. Pink blossomed over his pimpled covered cheeks. "Guess I get a little emotional over games," he admitted.

"I don't care," Takashi said with an absent wave of his hand. "I know a lot of Guardians who are the same." He smiled slightly before adding, "Makes it more entertaining."

"I always pegged you as one of those Guardians who were annoyed by all human emotions," Mac said lackadaisically. "Any queens?"

Takashi grudgingly gave Mac his two cards but kept the third one in his hand. "Some of the human emotions are fun to study," Takashi said to make good conversation. "Take the emotion of competitiveness, for example. The ones with a high level of it; do they get it from personality or is it the way they grow up? Then there is the debate if we Guardians possess a little of that emotion in ourselves. That also brings up the question as to if competitiveness is an emotion or not one at all."

Mac was quiet for a moment as he took these words in. "Interesting," he mused. "I didn't realize how engrossed you were with the subject of humans. In all reality they are fascinating creatures. Nines?"

"You think so?" Takashi asked with a thin smile. "Go fish."

"Oh, I know so," Mac said after picking up a card from the stack between them. "Like that little human girl Plasmius ordered you to kidnap and look after."

Mac didn't notice Takashi stiffen at the mention of Sam. She had been staying there for a couple of weeks now and was getting more restless and aggressive each day. The Guardian worried she would attempt something stupid soon. He was dreading that day she got enough of her spunk back to strike.

"Now, I know the stereotype for humans is that they are stupid, useless, emotional, and weak," Mac continued because Takashi hadn't stopped him and because he liked hearing his voice. "But why would Plasmius command you, one of his best Guardians, to go get her from the past and put you solely in charge of her? She doesn't have a power. She's just human. What makes her so special?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," Takashi said dully. "Twos?"

"Here ya go," Mac said as he leaned over the table to give Takashi his three cards. He didn't notice that Takashi didn't put down a pair. The Guardian didn't have a single two when he asked the question.

"As I was saying," Mac continued, oblivious, "I dug a little on the background of that girl, Samantha."

"Sam," Takashi corrected him without prior thought.

Mac faltered and looked quickly up at Takashi with astonishment washing over his human features. "What did you just say?" he asked after a clearing shake of his head.

"Her name is Sam," Takashi said boldly.

"That's a nickname for a girl named Samantha," Mac said suspiciously.

Takashi faked confusion. "Guess that makes sense. I always thought it was a human boy's name," he muttered. "No one has ever referred to her as Samantha before."

This seemed to satisfy Mac. He simply passed it off as Takashi being ignorant. Many Guardians acted this way. So he took a long sip from his tea and said, "Found out she's that Phantom kid's girlfriend. Did you know that?"

"Yes," Takashi said with a nod. He pinned his fellow Guardian with a stern frown and asked, "Why are you discussing this with me, Mac?"

"What?" Mac asked in a sneer, "You uncomfortable talking behind _master's_ back?" Mac was the only other Guardian Takashi knew in the Tower that referred to their master as Plasmius like himself. They both knew the other didn't like their master. There was no point hiding it.

"You know my answer to that," Takashi said quietly.

"He's really mad at you, isn't he?" Mac said in a hushed voice. "What did you do while with Zara? It must have been really bad if Plasmius is this mad at you, of all Guardians. He's always favored you."

"I shouldn't tell you," Takashi said stoically.

"Oh, come on, man!" Mac said with a laugh. "You stepped out of line and had some fun! How can you not tell anyone about it? You're like the proudest Guardian I know."

"I'm prideful, not boastful," Takashi corrected. "There's a difference."

Mac rolled his eyes, but the tiny smirk on Takashi's lips didn't go unnoticed. He put down his cards and stared at Takashi and said, "Come on, dude."

Takashi couldn't help but chuckle. He looked dreamily at his cards, thinking back to Zara and the others. He missed them. He even missed Ember. Telling his story to Mac would be nice, but there was a risk that it would get back to Plasmius. Takashi couldn't allow that. He hadn't been ordered to never retell his tale, but Vlad could take that kind of behavior as spotty and could become more suspicious. It would be harming the plan if he said anything now.

"I'll just say that we had _a lot_ of fun," Takashi said finally. "And a little switch could have been involved."

"A switch?" Mac choked out after a spurt of tea. He quickly put the cup down and asked, "You worked side by side with Danny Phantom then?" Takashi stared at his friend in alarm when he asked quietly, "How is he? Do you think he has any chance of killing Plasmius?"

"Why are you talking like this?" Takashi said, too shocked to lower his voice to a whisper.

"Oh. I'm just, well, curious, you see," Mac rushed to say while averting his eyes to his cards again and shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "That Phantom kid is a very captivating human. You should know. You were alive when his sister started the Guardian rights. You even spoke with Zara a few times, and she was their Guardian!"

Takashi paused before saying very slowly and nervously, "Danny is very...innocent."

"Innocent?" Mac repeated in confusion. His eyes kept sweeping over the room they sat in. It was empty as always. It was one of the many living rooms in the Tower which no one really knew about unless they had been there before. Many rooms in the Tower were that way. You either had to have a map or the mind of a Guardian to know where you were half the time.

"He's never actually-." Takashi stopped in mid sentence when an alarm on his watch went off. He brought the wrist up to his face and pressed a few buttons on it. A deep frown descended upon his features at the information it gave him.

"What is it?" Mac asked. Interest could be heard in his curious voice as he leaned slowly over the table.

"Trouble," Takashi said, not meaning to let the tinge of panic reach his voice. "Sam just got out of her cell. I'll be back in about twenty minutes. She can't go far. That floor is like a maze to human minds. Stay here."

"Hey, I can help you, ya know," Mac said in a friendly manner. He showed his own watch that was like Takashi's. "She still has that tracking device on her, right?"

"You don't mind?" Takashi asked in slight surprise. He was already on his feet and ready to hunt down the human.

"Find me some extra dog biscuits that don't upset my essence, and I can give you her location in less than three minutes," Mac said evilly. "Deal?"

"Deal," Takashi nodded. He gave the Guardian a smile before transforming into a fox and running out of the door. Mac watched him leave with a pondering expression on his face. He'd always had a sneaky suspicion that Takashi wasn't acting himself these days, but he never dreamed that he'd become something like a friend. It was odd. Mac wasn't quite sure what to make of it at the moment, but he didn't mind it.

-Sam-

That was the third dead end now. Sam fought down a wave of panic as she turned around and ran back the way she had just come from. She kept her left hand on the wall at all times. It was a trick she had found on the Internet when bored one day at school in the library. If you kept one hand on the wall in a maze and kept going, eventually you will find the exit. The problem there was that it was a slow method. She wished she had a map.

Getting out of that cell had been tough on her. She had to first slip out of the handcuffs. That had meant she had to lose some weight. That had been the easy part. One meal a day for three weeks had made her drop a few pounds. She knew she must have looked like a skeleton by now, but at least it let her wrists slip through the metal of the cuffs after some maneuvering. Good thing Takashi had been nice enough not to lock the cuffs too tightly.

The next part was getting the cell door to open. She only had three tries at the password or the alarm would go off. She had seen Takashi type the password in a few times, but she still had to do a little guesswork. On the third try, though, she had it nailed and the door slid open.

Apparently no one had thought that any prisoner would get that far or know how to get past the final prison door, because there was no security from that point forward except for a machine that was a card reader at the door. Sam quickly decided that this prison cell was only for humans like herself, because the technology of the machine wasn't very advanced. Anyone with a little prior experience could dismantle and rewire it to grant them access.

Sam had pried the machine off the wall to reveal a mass of wires. She didn't really know what she was doing. She wasn't a techno geek like Tucker, but she did know a thing or two about computers. It took her a few minutes of poking around the wires of the machine and connecting different colored ones together until she found the right combination that opened the door. That had been pure luck on her part. For all she knew, one of the combinations could have set off an alarm.

It was only when she was a half an hour into the maze of hallways on the floor that she realized she really didn't have a plan for when she finally got out of there. She didn't know the city. She didn't know it's rules. She didn't even know if she could make it out of the Tower alive. Surely Takashi knew by now that she had escaped her cell and the prison and that she was making a break for it. He had to be on his way. The Guardian was unbelievably smart. She didn't doubt that he was searching for her at the very moment.

All she could think of doing was to keep moving. Sam soon got angry at herself. She knew she was smarter than this. How could she have been so foolish enough as to blindly jump into an escape plan? She didn't want to believe that she was so desperate. There had to be another reason why she was acting so stupid.

Sam stumbled. A pained yelp escaped her as she crumbled to the floor, panting heavily and on the verge of tears. She was so weak. Hunger stabbed at her stomach as much as thirst ravaged her parched mouth. Why get up? It would be best if Takashi found her there, compliant and ready to go back to her cell.

"No!" Sam gasped as she forced her weak muscles to move. She got to her hands and knees and stared at the ground. "I don't give up," she said hoarsely. She hadn't used her voice in days.

If there was any chance she had of getting out of the Tower and defying Vlad, she was going to take it. She didn't play nice captive. They could starve her and keep her locked inside a lonely cell, but she was never going to give up.

An evil smile flashed to the girl's cracked lips as she steadily got to her feet and pushed a tangle of her greasy hair out of her face. With her determination restored, Sam once again started her journey to finding the elevator. She rounded the corner, thinking diabolical plots of making Vlad suffer, and stopped dead in her tracks.

A lone fox sat in the hallway intersection ahead. Its dark eyes bore ruthlessly into her. It wasn't happy.

"Takashi?" Sam croaked. A worried frown tugged at the corners of her lips.

The fox didn't react except for a small wag of its bushy, red tail.

Sam took off down a hallway in a sprint. The fox watched her go with a growl before running down a different hallway. Sam darted around a random corner, not caring about understanding the maze of pathways anymore. Evading Takashi was priority.

It was a useless effort. She had hardly bolted down two corridors before slamming head first into the Guardian's waiting chest when shooting hurriedly around a corner. She gave a short scream, scrambled to leave, but Takashi had already grabbed her by the wrists.

Stone faced the entire time, he rammed her back into the nearest wall. There was no pity at all in his gaze when he took her by a shoulder and shoved her to the ground. Sam gave a small cry as she fell to her stomach. She used what little of her strength left to push herself up and try to get to her feet.

Takashi didn't allow her to go any farther. He shoved a knee in between her shoulder blades and easily pinned her against the floor as he took his time cuffing her. She hissed profanity at him and squirmed under him the entire time. The Guardian ignored every word and threat with an air of quiet severity.

Sam was yanked suddenly to her feet. She bolted for freedom but was strictly pulled back close to the Guardian by a strong yank. "Stay still," Takashi ordered the human coldly. Defiantly, Sam continued to wiggle in the Guardian's grip.

"Too stubborn you your own good," Takashi grumbled. He waved his hand in the air and conjured up a strip of cloth, which he promptly wrapped around Sam's head to gag her. To the girl's utter surprise, Takashi hiked her up into the air and slung her over his shoulder like some helpless dame to be kidnapped. Screaming into her gag with anger, Sam thrashed in her new hold. Takashi easily kept her still as he marched off toward the prison again.

Along the way, Takashi brought up his watch and pressed a button to call Mac. The hologram of the dog popped into existence. A single look at Sam's irate face made the Guardian give a barking laugh in amusement.

"I see you got her," Mac said. "Boy, she look upset! I don't blame her. You're an awful gentlemen."

"Did I ask for your opinion?" Takashi asked irritably.

"No. But it's a free part of my services," Mac said. He paused for thought before asking curiously, "Are you going to tell Plasmius about this?"

"No," Takashi answered bluntly. "Were you?"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him," Mac said evilly.

"Exactly what I wanted to hear," Takashi said, smiling. He stopped at the prison door. "Now, if you don't mind, Mac, I got a human here who needs to learn a lesson. If you know what I mean. Shuffle that deck of cards. I'll be back for another round in a minute or two."

"This time no cheating," Mac huffed half heartedly.

"I'll make more tea," Takashi sighed, hanging up on the German Shepherd. He flashed his card to open the door, watched it rise, and proceeded into the prison. He found a new unoccupied cell and punched in the code to open the door. He walked in and let the girl observe her new surroundings.

Sam was shocked to see a bigger cell than before. It still had cement surroundings, but it was larger than her old room. What really shone out as a difference was the lack of metal loops and a raised slab of cement meant to be a bed or something like it.

Takashi placed Sam on the bed and took off her handcuffs without a word. A snap of his fingers took the gag away. It vanished in the blink of an eye. Then, with a scary frown on his face, Takashi stood over the captive girl with a looming air of doom. Sam glared obstinately at her lap with a furious frown on her features.

"This is the last time you do something like that," Takashi finally said. His voice was cold and demanding. "I catch you doing something as incredibly foolish like trying to escape one more time, and I'll make you cry in pain. Understand?"

"No you won't," Sam whispered bitterly.

Suddenly Takashi's hand was wrapped tightly around Sam's throat. Fear shown bright in the girl's eyes as her windpipe was strictly cut off and she couldn't breathe. Takashi didn't let up. His eyes bore into her wide ones as he snarled into her pale face, "Don't make me remind you of the bond a Guardian has with his master. If Plasmius catches you escaping, I'll be the one bringing you an inch away from death. You know I don't want to do that to you. So you better pull yourself together, Sam, and shape up!"

Sam gasped when Takashi let her go. Her fingers rubbed her tender throat as she sucked in air. She watched wearily as Takashi moved in very close to her. He reached out a hand. She closed her eyes when he placed it gently on the side of her face.

"Hey," he said quietly. "It's okay, Sam. I didn't mean to scare you."

"This is hard," was all Sam could think of saying.

"I know," Takashi said with a sigh. "And I admire your strength. How you even got out of that other cell still baffles me. No one's done that before."

"You're just saying that to cheer me up," Sam muttered dispassionately.

"You truly are a strange human," Takashi smiled. When Sam didn't respond and continued to stare at him silently, Takashi asked, "What's your favorite food?"

"Apples?" Sam said uncertainly.

"That's easy," Takashi said. "Some time this week I'll sneak you an apple. Okay?"

"Tomorrow?" Sam asked, not meaning to plead.

Takashi paused for thought. He then nodded. "Alright," he said. "Tomorrow. I promise."

A/N: Out of all the intelligent games Guardians could play, and Mac and Takashi choose Go Fish. Just shows you how lazy they can be. And Mac still isn't so great at it. Doesn't really matter since Takashi cheats every second of the game. Ah well. It was a fun scene to write. The plot kicks back in next chapter. I'll see you guys then in two weeks!


	38. Chapter 38 Lessons and Decisions

A/N: Yeah, sorry for being late a day. Things have gotten rather busy, and this chapter kinda suffered under some writer's block. I didn't want to just throw y'all into what I had planned to be a two part finale chapter. It just wouldn't work with everything that has been going on, so I made this kinda filler chapter to gear everyone up. So, without further to do, on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own any Danny Phantom characters.

Chapter 38 Lessons and Decisions

"On Theo's signal, squad numbers one, five, and eight will proceed into the Tower via one of the docking airships," Mandrake said. His eyes were stationed on the holographic plans before them. With one hand behind his back, he used the other to touch the dots that were labeled by squads into place on the screen. Once he touched one, it moved to were he touched next. He did this until the squads were stationed for the next part of the plan.

The stuffy, dim room was filled with the warriors that had been training at the Rebellion base. They sat or stood around the hologram simulator Mandrake had provided for them. The men and woman were all grave and serious. There was an air of tension in the room due to the fact they were going over their final plans of attack on Vlad's Terra.

Danny stood by Theo on one side of the room. His eyes settled on the glowing dot labeled squad five. That was his squad.

"This is the tricky part," Mandrake continued with little pause. "Squads one, five, and eight will have to get through the security on the roof. There is a steel vault door that squads one and eight will have to get through. You will have Bob to help you with that.

"Meanwhile, squad five will repel down the north side of the Tower. Squad two will have already marked the floor you are to stop on. Squad three will be in the air. It's mission is cover support. We want squad five to have a clear and safe travel down and into the Tower from the window.

"Remember, the main goal is to kill Plasmius. The people are afraid of him. The second he's gone, the people are free to think and believe how they like. While we would all like to believe they will be happy with the tyrant dead and their freedom, we can not be disillusioned. Many will be angry. That night we will be murdering their ruler. People will revolt against us. That is why squads four, six, and seven will be attacking the Tower from the ground. Their mission is to take out anyone who is a threat on the first few levels, secure their positions, and keep them. Innocent citizens are not allowed inside the Tower. You may use force to keep them at bay, but do not use lethal force. I repeat, do not kill anyone. We're on their side. If we start killing them, it won't look so good.

"Squad five will enter the Tower from the Great Hall's window. We're not going for a very stealthy strategy, as you can see. By this time any of Vlad's Guardians will be dealt with by our Guardians and ghosts. He will have little protection.

What we are counting on to happen is Plasmius to see Danny. He will strike. Danny will use Melody's power to take Vlad's ghost abilities away. Plasmius will then be weak and vulnerable. Danny will then give the final blow."

"Are we all at an understanding?" he asked finally. Nods ensued.

Theo glanced sideways at Danny, concerned for his friend. The boy had just found out the other night that it was all up to him to kill Plasmius. The Rebellion had decided that it was his job alone and that they were all counting on him. Danny didn't express anything on his face. He stared at the hologram diagram, eyes and face impassive. Theo didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

"Now Rhodes will proceed with her plan," Mandrake said. He stepped aside and let Rhodes come up to the hologram. With his tall figure and her short stature, she almost looked like a child when standing beside him.

"Thank you, Mr. Mandrake," Rhodes said with a respective nod. "Now, I have no doubt that Danny will be able to take down Plasmius, but it is always smart to think ahead. Tomorrow night we have two goals. One, the dethroning of Vlad Plasmius. Two, the destruction of the Infi-map. That map is key to Vlad's power. With it, he has been able to thwart many of our plans. It is crucial to get rid of it. If Vlad somehow survives the night, he will use its power to crush us. That is why it is so important to see that it is destroyed.

"Squads one and eight will proceed into the Tower by the roof. The squads that are securing the lower part of the Tower need to strike first. That way, security will be prominent in the lower regions and squads one and eight will have little difficulty getting to level 55.

"Sources tell us a Guardian is stationed on that level and will be a problem, that is why Theo will meet the squads there. Your mission from there is to distract the Guardian long enough for Theo to get to the Infi-map and destroy it. When that task is finished, the squads will follow Theo back to the Great Hall.

"Is this clear?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Everyone nodded including Theo and Danny. The kitsune expressed a small, grim smile and said, "Good. Squad leaders will give their squads detailed instructions tomorrow night before the attack. Pray to your god or gods tonight. We're going to need all the strength we can get. Everyone's dismissed."

-That Night-

The Mess Hall was packed that night with everyone who could call themselves a Rebellion member. Danny sat with all his close friends at one table as the cooks brought out a feast of multi culture foods. WIth Melody seated in his lap, Danny and the girl tried German sausages, burned their taste buds off with the Indian spicy curry, dug into some steaming Mexican burritos, and resorted to throwing their chopsticks aside to eat their Japanese sushi by hand.

When the meal was over, Mandrake made a speech and a toast, and then announced a dance. To Danny's surprise, the tables were quickly cleared to make room for a dance floor. It seemed like anyone who knew how to play an instrument and had one were pulling out their tools of the trade and striking up a tune. All too soon the floor was filled with clapping, dancing, and cheering.

"I didn't know Artemis's archer girls knew how to swing dance!" Danny shouted above the music to Theo. They stood off the side watching. Danny pointed to a group of young woman on the dance floor. They still had their quivers on their backs. Theo laughed, making Danny do the same.

Rhodes suddenly showed up in front of the two guys holding her baby. She grinned happily at them before shoving her child into Danny's arms. "Here, Danny," she said, "hold Danny for me while I go dance with my husband. You don't mind, do you?"

"I have no clue how to dance, so this is a good excuse," Danny said, gently taking the squirming kid in his arms. Little Danny was jumping up and down with excitement. "Hold still, dude," Danny laughed as he watched Rhodes take hold of Theo's arm and lead him out to the dance floor. For a brief second he was envious of the pure love connection the two shared with their eyes. His heart ached to hear Sam's voice and to stare into her eyes again.

Without even sharing a word, Theo and Rhodes began to fight. Theo swept a leg under Rhodes. The kitsune easily flipped over her husband. She landed lightly before swinging a leg into a smooth roundhouse kick. Her skirt whirled around her like a fan. Theo watched her leg pass over his head from where he was stationed in a crouch. Then they both jumped forward and toward each other, brushing arms as they simultaneously flipped in the air.

They landed at the same time and gracefully came at each other with synchronized fighting moves. While one would execute a kick, the other would dodge. Everything was communicated using the eyes and the slight movements of the partner. Every move was planned and in tune with the music.

It didn't take Danny long to figure out that their attacks were a style of dance. He watched, mesmerized, as Theo and Rhodes spun, jumped, and flipped around each other. They rarely broke eye contact and hardly touched each other, but any onlooker could tell you that they were sharing something at the moment. It was a connection that would not easily be broken.

"Capoeira," Zara suddenly said from Danny's side. The boy jumped in his startle at the voice and looked up at the Guardian with confusion. Zara looked upon the dancers with an apathetic expression as she explained, "They are doing capoeira. It's an African/Brazilian dance that incorporates fighting moves with music. The only difference is that they aren't hitting each other. They are making it more dance-like. They're pretty good."

"You kidding?" Danny said. "They're awesome!" Zara rolled her eyes, but Danny still caught the small smile come to her lips.

A tug on his shirt made Danny look down in curiosity. It was Melody. She timidly poked the floor with her toe as she looked out at the dance floor then back up at the teen. It took two times of this motion for Danny to get what she was trying to say. Realization crossed his face along with a blush.

"I'm not that great of a dancer, Mel," he admitted with a nervous chuckle. Her face fell, brining on a guilt within the boy. "Sorry," he tried to apologize. He glanced up at Zara and said, "Zara might know some dance moves, though. Seeing how ancient she is."

"Alright, no," Zara said forcefully. "You did not just call me old!" Taken aback, Danny's grin vanished from his face and he stepped away in fear. "Give me that poop machine, boy!" Zara said, yanking Little Danny out of Danny's arms. "Go and dance with the girl. I don't care if you do the chicken dance and humiliate yourself, it will be better than the beating I'm prepared to give you if you stick around any second longer."

"Point taken. Run, Mel!" Danny said, urging the girl onto the dance floor. Once there, he didn't really know what to do. He could feel his face turning red as dancers glanced at him. He was thinking of taking his chances with Zara now.

Melody, for the first time in her life, didn't care that there was a crowd of people that could be watching her. She hung onto Danny's hand and swung her hips to the music. It was quite cute, and Danny found himself smiling at her. She even tried showing him some made up footwork of her own. He laughed, knowing he looked incredibly stupid taking dancing pointers from a seven year old.

After a few songs, Danny found himself in the swing of things and thoroughly enjoying himself as he twirled Melody around. When the girl got tired, they went back to the place where Zara still stood watching and holding the baby. Theo and Rhodes were back. Rhodes sat in her husband's lap and waved at Danny when seeing him. "Having fun?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he answered truthfully. "Just one thing I gotta do before the night is over."

"What's that?" Theo asked with a raised eyebrow.

Danny lowered himself into a swooping bow in front of Zara. He grinned at the stunned Guardian, loving the emotional reaction he got out of her. "Dance with me," he said. Theo, Rhodes, and Melody waited for the answer with intense silence. No one really knew if she was going to say yes or not. Not even Danny knew.

"Was that an order?" Zara asked emotionlessly after composing herself.

"No," Danny answered. "Just one dance between friends. Come on. You made me do it. You know it's fun."

Zara stared unwaveringly into Danny's eyes. He didn't dare break the connection as he raised a hand for her to take and smiled. The Guardian mulled it over for a second, finally settling on an action. She handed Rhodes her baby, grabbed Danny's arm, and marched out onto the dance floor, muttering, "Humans are such idiots."

Theo watched Danny get dragged along by the Guardian. He smirked before calling out to his friend, "It's your funeral, ghost dork!"

"You have no tact," Rhodes pointed out with a sigh.

Theo grinned proudly up at his disapproving wife. "It's why you married me, sweetie," he jeered unsubtly. Rhodes pointed a finger at his cat ear and zapped it. "Ouch!" Hissing, the demigod rubbed the sensitive spot that had got a shock of electricity. "What did you you do that fo-." He was cut off mid sentence due to the fact that he couldn't think straight when his wife was kissing him.

Meanwhile, Danny was having problems out on the dance floor. The Guardian had decided to stand there and watch the teen as he danced. Tired of her stubbornness, Danny began to bump into her and push her around. Didn't take more than a few pushes for Zara to get annoyed. She grabbed his arm and tried to fling him away. Instead, he grabbed ahold her and whipped her toward him. He turned the motion into a dance move and laughed openly at her.

"I will hurt you!" Zara seethed, diving at the boy. Danny stood still to watch her phase through him. The Guardian stopped short with a defeated sigh. She turned on him and asked in a growl, "What do you want?"

"Just one dance," Danny said, holding up a single finger.

"Will that make you happy?" Zara asked.

"Hey, I just want to make you happy," Danny said. "Can't Guardians ever be happy in this world?"

"Yes. The sight of imbecilic ghost boys in great agony makes me immensely gleeful," Zara said darkly.

"Oh, come off it," Danny chuckled. "Stop worrying about what others think and have some fun. You don't have to be torturing others to smile, do you?"

"Maybe," Zara answered mysteriously, grinning at the pleasant thought.

"Fine," Danny said, feinting defeat by throwing his hands into the air and exploding with a sigh. "You don't want to dance, you don't have to. I don't care. You probably didn't have a pretty form for it anyways. You wouldn't know what a nice looking dress was even if it hit you in the face." The bait set, the teen proceeded to walk away. Without Zara seeing, Danny grinned evilly.

"Hold up!" Zara loudly protested with a sharp laugh of shock. "I did not just get scorned by a ghost freak!"

Danny shrugged and continued to leave. He'd only taken two steps when the expectant hand grabbed him by the arm and jerked him backwards. Stumbling, Danny glanced up at the Guardian. The sight made him gape. She had surely proved his last statement wrong with her short, flowing lavender dress. Her form looked absolutely stunning in it, he had to admit.

"I take that back then," Danny grinned.

"Good," Zara said, closing the space between them with a graceful step. She forcefully placed his hand on her hip while grabbing his other. When he blushed at their close proximity, she scoffed, "Jeez, ghost boy. You're the one who wanted to dance with me so badly."

"Yeah, but I didn't know you'd go all ballroom pro on me!" Danny defended himself weakly, voice practically cracking.

"This is dance class one-o-one," Zara pointed out, grinning more at his awkward expression. "It's not that hard." When he smiled hesitantly at her in doubt, she broke out into a laugh. Finally she let him go and admitted, "You're too cute, kid."

"I guess that's a good thing," Danny said as he pulled her into a twirl in time with the music.

"Don't give yourself too much credit. It makes you look cocky," Zara retorted, smiling.

"What if I like looking cocky?" Danny said wittily. "Confidence is key in a battle."

They were dancing like the others by now. Every now and then they would swing each other around. Danny could tell the Guardian was enjoying herself. All she needed was the right motivation to get her started.

"Looking like a puffed up moron is different than being assertive during a fight," Zara shot back without skipping a beat to their regular banter. She was going to miss their battle of witty comments when this was over. The boy was full of them these days.

But all too soon the fun had to end. Zara watched in disappointment as Danny's grin turned somber when he looked over her shoulder. He stopped dead in his tracks. How come it seemed like a Guardian snuck up on her every time she was having a good time?

Zara spun around sharply just as her senses caught up with her. "Takashi!" she breathed his name in shock. There he was. The tall, handsome figure of her Japanese friend dressed in a elegant black suit stood closely behind her. For a split second she couldn't believe her senses. "How'd you get here?" she asked finally.

Takashi ignored the question. He leaned pass her and asked a stunned looking Danny, "Can I take her from you? I think she owes me a dance or two."

Shaking the surprise off him, Danny demanded, "Why are you here? Did Vlad send you?"

"I can't tell you, kid," Takashi said, winking. "Those were my orders. But someone you know does say hi."

"Someone I know?" Danny asked, confused and curious. "Who?"

"Look at the time!" Takashi said with a sigh of exasperation. Danny could tell the Guardian was tired of the questions. "I must be getting this dance in, Danny. So, how 'bout you run off and rat me out to Theo to pass the time?"

"Zara?" Danny asked the Guardian beside him. Although he didn't want to trust Takashi, he knew that he'd be dead by now if Vlad had ordered the Guardian to kill him. Takashi was here for other reasons. Time would tell if they were for good or not.

"Shoo, kid," Zara told Danny forcefully. "Let the adults talk, okay?"

"You sure?" Danny asked doubtfully.

Zara put her face into Danny's and said, "Scram, clueless."

"Please don't do anything stupid, Zara," Danny said with weary in his voice. He knew Zara well enough by now that she'd try anything dangerous with Takashi. And by the way Takashi was looking at her, he was suspecting that there was more to this equation than just plain friendship. Nonetheless, he began to walk away despite his fretful convictions.

"Was that a command?" Zara asked. Danny shot her a cold glare over his shoulder before continuing to leave with disgust for her evil smirk.

The cheery and boisterous atmosphere in the room didn't feel so engaging to the teen anymore. He didn't bother going back to where Theo and Rhodes sat or to look for Melody. For the first time in months, he wanted to be alone. He didn't know why exactly. Usually the hole in him prevented him from ever leaving a group. It had left him rather lonely. But that evening the hole didn't seem so deep and gaping.

Exiting the building, Danny walked slowly along the deserted bamboo paths. Not a soul bothered him. The distant sound of music drifted peacefully in the misty, cool air. The boy found a secluded spot to sit on a bride railing. His long legs dangled over the edge as he leaned back to look at the twinkling stars.

So much had changed. Danny thought almost longingly of those first few months he had his ghost powers. They had been faulty and cumbersome, and he had been so innocent and foolish. He smiled at the memory of his first ghost fight. Those were the days.

Thinking of the future was almost scary for the teen. These past few months had changed him and his life dramatically. What would happen when all this was over? Would he be able to successfully go back to school? College and job interviews seemed so worthless and boring now.

And most importantly; would Sam still love him? He'd changed so much. Would he still be as appealing to her after so many months of being gone? Would she even understand how much he had evolved on this adventure? Going back home seemed so hard with these thoughts consuming his brain. He almost wished he could have brought Sam along with him so that they could have redefined their lives together.

Danny sat there for a long time, pondering the future as he fiddled absentmindedly with the clock cog necklace from Clockwork. Songs started and ended in the Mess Hall somewhere behind him. It was a never ending playlist of classics. All the while, Danny savored the tranquil duration of his solitude.

"Pensive night, huh?"

Alone time was done. Danny jumped at the voice and at the appearance of the person sitting beside him. He blinked in shock when he saw that it was Cloak Guy. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. For a second Danny thought the guy was stuck that way. He didn't move from his spot as he gave a tiresome sigh. What was bothering him? Danny was just curious enough to be seconds away from asking the question, but a flash of movement prevented him from ever opening his mouth. He was too busy ducking the quick swipe of Cloak Guy's sword. Danny was on his feet in a second. Simultaneously, he released his blade and raised it in time to meet Cloak Guy's. The metals collided with a echoey clash.

"You again," Danny growled at his opponent. "You here to tell me that it's my fault for killing that gladiator again?"

"No," Cloak Guy answered truthfully. "I thought you were over that by now." Danny didn't know how to respond. He wouldn't call himself over it. More like accepting the fact that he had killed and that it was nobody's fault. He still wasn't sure if he could do it again, but that would be decided when the time came it seemed at this point.

"Then why are you here?" Danny asked finally.

"You need to get some sense knocked into you, apparently," Cloak Guy said with a smile in his somehow familiar voice. He expertly twirled his blade in one hand, casually walking backwards on the railing. Danny watched him intently, questioning the young man's or ghost's sanity.

"What do you mean?" Danny asked cautiously with a tilt of his head.

"You're going to learn something today, Danny," Cloak Guy stated with confidence. "You might not know what you've learned when I'm done teaching it to you, but I'm gonna make you remember this lesson."

"You're crazy, dude," Danny chuckled.

Cloak Guy struck with a swipe of his sword. Danny hopped backwards without any trouble. He parried another strike, ducked the third, and did a tight back handspring to avoid the fourth, all the while still balancing on the railing.

"Nice," Cloak Guy exalted the deft elusiveness. He almost seemed impressed.

"Not as nice as this," Danny said, grinning as he jumped forward with a powerful swing of his blade. The metal flashed in the moonlight as it descended upon the other sword. Just as easily, Cloak Guy blocked the attacks. He even ducked when Danny bounded into an excellent roundhouse kick.

The adversaries stared at each other for a second after their attempts to hurt the other failed. It was Cloak Guy who broke the stillness. He suddenly came at Danny aggressively. Each slash of his weapon was precise and devastating. Danny came back at him with as much energy and power. The air was soon filled with the violent clash of metal and angry battle yells.

The two didn't let up on each other the entire time. They knew the second they hesitated or stopped to take a breather that the other would get an advantaging blow in. Neither would allow that to happen, so they kept at the fight until sweat sleeked down their backs and collected on their brows and every one of their breaths came in ragged.

They were well into the intense battle when Danny made his first and final mistake. He was too slow to lean back from a stab at his chest. Cloak Guy's tip came not even an inch away from piercing flesh. But instead of taking his blade away, Cloak Guy lifted it up and brought it between Danny and the Clockwork necklace. Danny froze in fear. He was seconds away from being sent back in time or stabbed because he had stopped and was open to attack.

"No. Don't move," Cloak Guy panted quietly. He closed the gap between them in one stride so that they were standing close to each other. Cloak Guy fingered the cog with interest and watched Danny from the shadows of his hood.

Danny gasped for air softly, eyes wide with the horrifying thought of dying or going back in time. Not now! Not after all he had done and needed to do!

"I could slice this necklace in two and be through with you right now," Cloak Guy stated with a chuckle. "But just sending you back in time wouldn't stop you, would it?"

These words startled Danny. Narrowing his eyes, he looked questioningly into the hood. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked suspiciously.

"You're Danny Phantom," Cloak Guy said. "You'd never let the measly inconvenience of returning to your old time from stopping you from helping your friends here. I mean, sure, a lot of people might think or say you're a coward, but you really shouldn't care what others think."

"Who says I'm a coward?" Danny asked loudly. He was tired of this guy's mind games. Why couldn't he just come out and say stuff? It was frustrating the teen to no end.

"The people who think you don't have the nerve to kill Vlad Plasmius when the time is right," Cloak Guy answered. "And they're right. You're not ready to kill him tomorrow."

"Wait! You're the one who just said I'm persistent enough to come back even if I was thrown back in time," Danny retorted quickly. He was puzzled and dispirited. The night had started off so nice and fun, now his world was swirling into disarray. "Now you're saying I'm too weak to kill Vlad! You're not making an ounce of sense! What do you want from me? Why are you here?"

"I don't expect you to understand right now," Cloak Guy said dourly. Danny tensed when Cloak Guy took away his sword and sheathed it. The teen noticed the cruel smirk in the hooded person's voice as he muttered, "It's better that you stay clueless."

Then, just as mysteriously as he had appeared, the ghost turned invisible and was gone. Danny was left there to contemplate the final words of his adversary by himself. Just a few minutes ago he had felt comfortable with the attack on Vlad's Terra for the next day. Now he felt conflicted and scared.

"What am I gonna do?" Danny asked himself in a sad, strained voice. He grabbed a chunk of his own hair and pulled on it to somehow relieve the tension in his brain, but it did nothing to help except hurt his head.

The teen sat with a somber heart. The music in the background was more obnoxious now. Didn't anyone realize how hard this was going to be? Didn't they know how he struggled with the idea of killing Vlad? Why did it have to be him? He wasn't ready. He knew he wasn't ready to kill again, despite all that he had seen and heard of Vlad's evil doings.

It wasn't anyone's fault for the Rebellion putting all their faith in Danny. It had been explained to him plainly why he had been chosen to kill Vlad and him alone. He wasn't of this time. He wasn't part of the Rebellion. He was an outside member who would swoop in, kill the figurehead keeping the world in chaos, and vanish. The Rebellion wouldn't be blamed for the ghost's death. The blame would be put upon the shoulders of a teen from another time, another universe. Danny hadn't disagreed with this plan. He thought it was perfect in another context, but that didn't hide the fact that he'd have to kill again.

What tortured Danny inside was the his doubt. He wasn't sure if, in the end, he'd have the guts to kill Vlad. What if he choked at he last second and Vlad lived? He might be bringing upon the destruction of the entire Rebellion if he did that. He didn't want that to happen. But what if it did? Danny wouldn't be able to bear that kind of guilt.

"I'm just gonna have to kill him," Danny told himself shakily in a scared whisper. Emotion clogged his throat.

It was settled. He'd murder again and deal with the internal, moral consequences later. He'd be destroying more of himself on the inside, but it was for the greater good. And that's what being a superhero was all about. Giving yourself up for others.

-Sam-

She felt like a corpse. Her body was the thinnest it had ever been. Sam knew she had always been on the skinny side because of her vegan diet, but this felt beyond anything she had dreamt of. She was weak too. Sam had always prided herself on being a strong person, but her body was refusing to do anything these days. No muscles at all. Just skin and bone. She found it disgusting.

Despite these set backs, Sam could feel herself mentally prevail. Ever since her misadventure in failing at escaping, the girl had a switch of priorities. In her new cell late one night, with her stomach begging for nutrients, Sam came to a conclusion in her thinking. She had so much time to think these days. It was all she ever did being cooped up in such a small space.

Her thoughts had traveled back to the matter at hand. Her captivity. She didn't know when she was going to get out of the cell next. It could be a couple of days to a few more months. Takashi wouldn't and probably couldn't tell her. The point was what was she going to do to prepare herself for when she actually got free. She'd serve little purpose if she couldn't even walk out of the cell when the time came. The girl would rather be able to run or fight. She wouldn't be able to do that with the current condition of her body. So she needed to change that.

The next morning after Takashi brought her the daily meal along with an apple. Sam ate quietly, summing up enough courage to ask her question. Takashi rambled on about what was happening around the Tower while dribbling a soccer ball on his knees.

"What's wrong?" Takashi asked after a small pause. He glanced critically at the girl without dropping the soccer ball.

"I didn't say anything," Sam said hoarsely. Her eyes darted to the floor as if it was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

"No," Takashi said sternly. "You didn't. That's exactly what I mean. You haven't said a single word this entire time. I'll repeat myself. What's wrong?"

Sam sighed. It was now or never. She looked the Guardian right in the eyes and told him, "I've got to get stronger. I need your help."

Takashi didn't react at first. He merely stared at her like she was a stupid animal demanding for something it didn't need. He caught his ball in one hand as she watched him closely, a stubborn frown on her features. Finally, he vanished the ball with a wave of his hand and took a step toward the girl, asking simply, "Why?"

"I'm withering away in here," Sam explained. She suppressed the urge to flinch when the Guardian moved his face an inch away from hers. She wetted her dry lips with a tongue before saying urgently, "I don't want to come out of here hardly able to walk. Besides, the physical activeness will get my mind off escaping. I'll be busy. You won't have to worry about me anymore."

"What a novel thought," Takashi muttered humorlessly.

"I mean it!" Sam persisted. "In this bigger cell I can do pushups and crunches. I can get strong. All I need is some extra food. You can get that for me."

"Humans are crazy," Takashi concluded. He gave a heavy sigh, picked up the empty cup Sam was finished with, and turned to leave the disillusioned girl. He hadn't taken two steps when something light landed on his back, making him take a step forward to accommodate for the new weight. "What are you doing?" Takashi hissed.

"I'm not letting go until you say yes!" Sam said, trying to sound determined from where she was wrapping her legs around the Guardian's waist and twisting her thin arms around his neck. "Say it!" she demanded.

"No. Get off me!" Takashi growled at the silly human. Grunting, he struggled to disentangle himself from her flimsy limbs without seriously injuring the girl. How come humans had to be so fragile?

"Never!" Sam declared, almost giggling at her odd behavior. She grinned as Takashi tried to shake her off and wasn't successful. She was surprised that she had made it this far. What little strength she had was going into hanging onto the guy.

After some ineffective minutes of doing his best to be gentle yet firm, Takashi heaved a giant sigh and came to a stop. Sam rested her cheek on his hairy head, knowing the end was near. Either he was going to throw her off violently, or he was going to give in. She hoped it would be the later of the two.

"You're loving this, aren't you?" Takashi grumbled, glaring at the far wall.

"Just a little," Sam admitted with a guilty smile. "Call this payback for putting me in here."

"Fine," Takashi said finally.

"Huh?"

"I'll get you food," Takashi said, smirking suddenly, "But only if you promise you won't go try escaping again. Deal?"

Sam slid off her captor's back and almost stumbled to her knees in her fatigue. She managed to stay upright, though, while Takashi turned to face her. They grinned at each other as they stretched out their arms and shook hands. For the first time, the two thought of each other on the same playing field. It was a nice feeling for both of them.

"Deal," Sam said.

A/N: I can't believe it. I'm finishing up this fic. The finale chapters are next. A few more weeks and this fic will be done. Jeez, I'm gonna miss this thing. Hard to believe that only about two years ago I started Phantom Mythology just for fun. Man! Two years ago? Feels like only a few months ago. Crazy.

Anyways, gear up for some awesome action and some surprises in my next update in two weeks! I'm freakishly excited for it! Have a good spring break!


	39. Chapter 39 Time After Time

A/N: -dances because I'm so excited- I can't believe this chapter came to me so quickly. I guess after a year of plotting it out and how it will work, it won't take you a week to type it. Seriously, took me like two-three days. Anyways, this is the first half of my two part finale. So, after this chapter, the next half, and the conclusion chapter, this fic will be over. -sniffs- So sad. Gonna miss this thing. But I gotta finish it, so here's the chapter. Lots of fun surprises I hope.

Disclaimer: I never have nor ever will own any Danny Phantom character.

Chapter 39 Time After Time

Theo boldly waltzed down the hallway of Vlad's Tower like it was his right to traverse the red carpeted pathway with the rest of the guests to the Annual God and Goddess Ball. Of course, none of these humans he passed on the way there were gods or goddesses, but they were of high status on Vlad's Terra and/or rich enough to get their names written on to the guest list.

Clothed in a hooded cloak very similar to the one Cloak Guy was famous for, Theo was invisible in the crowd of wealthy, well known humans. His ears were hidden in the hood; and with his tail wrapped around his waist, he looked like any other worker at the Tower. Better yet, he looked like a Guardian with his aura of quiet confidence and the subtly curious outfit at a ball. It was the perfect disguise for the half sphinx to sneak into Vlad's Tower.

The hallways that lead the conversing throngs to the ballroom were crowded with humans. Theo recognized most of them from many years of going to the ball.

There was Mrs. Peabody with her yapping, pestilential dog she carried around like a handbag. One year Theo had gotten cornered by the robust lady and had to endure five hours of listening to her complaints about the food they served that year and the incessant yips from her dog, Mr. Cuddles. The headache lasted for hours.

The young man passed Mr. Lovelace with a curious glance to see how many girls hung onto him this year. The man was one of the richest humans on the terra, and he had decided to spend practically half his fund on collecting women. The females didn't seem to mind the man's rather tubby figure. They flocked after him like he was the only male on earth.

Theo counted seven super skinny, bikini clothed girls all no older than twenty. That was two less than last year. The half sphinx smirked. He guessed times were getting tough for poor old Lovelace.

Other people Theo noticed from his stay in the Tower were here as well. There was Dr. Adams who specialized in Vlad's chemistry labs for making new experimental concoctions. His large, blinking eyes that were behind a set of enormous spectacles made the man look like a praying mantis about to dine on a hopeless victim as he prepared to eat a thin slice of salmon he'd taken from a tray the servers were presenting to the crowds. There had been a rumor which had flittered around the Tower a few years back that if Dr. Adams didn't drink anything at a ball, it meant he'd poison the drinks. Theo had stopped drinking altogether at the balls after the gossip had hit his ears.

None of these people Theo had come to know and hate even gave the half sphinx a second glance as he snaked through the crowds. The young man was thankful for this. The less people who recalled him, the better.

Eventually, Theo had made his way to the ballroom. It was a vast, circular room. One half was made of mirrors; the other was glass that overlooked the spectacular lights of the city at night. The brightly polished marble floors reflected the immense crystal chandelier that glowed with pride from it's dangling place near the domed ceiling. The dance floor was filled with the flourish of skirts and moving feet. Off to one side was a band of people playing all stringed instruments.

The outskirts of the round room held the people talking, waiting to dance, or the ones too proud to admit they didn't know a single dance move. Servants with platers of food walked into these crowds fearlessly. The greedy guests would zero in on these platters, and the feeding frenzy would begin as they practically fought over the food. Theo couldn't help but picture them as piranas feeding on the helpless servers until they had nothing left. When that happened, the stoic servers would briskly return to the kitchen to repeat the prehistoric process.

The crowds ignored Theo's presence as he plunged into the fray of them. The demigod had to wrangle his heart back into control when he passed right by Vlad Plasmius once. The group of followers that constantly surrounded the ghost had parted for one, brief second, and Theo had peeked in to see the fanged smirk and the merciless red eyes of the important man.

Vlad hadn't even glanced at Theo. The demigod thought this odd. Wouldn't a cloaked, mysterious figure bother the man?

It didn't seem so strange a second later when he ran into _two_ Cloak Guys. The three stopped in front of each other and stared at the others in silent surprise for a second or two. Theo felt a little dizzy. This was terribly confusing. He never suspected two of them.

"Theo?" one of the Cloak Guys asked, pointing to the demigod in uncertainty. His forefinger switched to the other Cloak Guy before he asked hesitantly, "Or is that you?"

"No," the Cloak Guy said with amusement in his voice. "I'm the original." He, the real Cloak Guy, put a hand on his hip and took a moment to observe the other two before chuckling, "This is fun."

"No," Theo said flatly. "This is annoying." His ears were flattened against his furry head by now. He pointed at Cloak Guy as he said, "If you're the real Cloak Guy, then-" he redirected his forefinger to the impostor "-who are you?"

"Takashi," the second Cloak Guy answered emotionlessly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Cloak Guy? Is that what you guys call me?" Cloak Guy asked, grinning widely as the entertainment continued. "Interesting."

"Stay out of my way, Takashi," Theo snarled at the Guardian, ignoring Cloak Guy's cheeky comments.

"Stow it, Theo," Takashi said with a hint of vexation in his voice. "I don't care what you do. You're fine until the second my master orders me to kill you. Till then, do what you want."

Theo's ears rose slightly in his amazement from these words. Maybe the Guardian had become somewhat attached to him and his crew for those few days Zara and Takashi had traded places. It was a strong possibility. Maybe that was what Zara had planned on happening. It was either that, or the Guardian was seriously slacking in his duties as of lately.

"Uh...thanks," the demigod told the Guardian in hesitant sincerity.

"How sweet," Cloak Guy poked fun. "I'm happy you two know each other so well." He didn't know it, but Cloak Guy promptly received two sets of glares. The hoods hide all form of expression; all the young ghost felt were the hostile vibes from the Guardian and demigod as he continued to grin at them.

"Why are you here?" Theo decided to finally ask.

"That is an excellent question," Cloak Guy stated with a curt nod. He didn't answer it.

"Great, we have a cute talker assassin to look out for. Just what we need tonight," Theo muttered sarcastically under his breath. Takashi heard it nonetheless and let himself express a small, humorless smile.

"I have orders to carry out," Takashi said impassively to conclude the bizarre encounter with the other two. He brushed past Theo on his way out of the ballroom. He didn't look back at any of them, but he couldn't help but feel apprehensive. Tonight was the night everything was going to change.

"I'm busy tonight too," Cloak Guy told Theo. He began to walk casually away with a swagger that oozed calmed self-assurance. Theo skeptically watched him leave as the young man called behind his shoulder, "Have fun, cat boy."

Ears flattening under his hood, Theo continued on his way through the crowd. He tried not to think about Cloak Guy, but he couldn't help but feel edgy with the young man's presence there. It was only when he arrived at the first panel of glass that he forgot the ghost. He had a job to do. There was no time to reflect the reasons for Cloak Guy being there.

The demigod reached under his cloak and pulled out a clear plastic tube full of flat circles all about an inch in diameter. He popped out one of these circle devices and pressed the sticky surface lightly against the bottom of the glass window pane. A stealthy scan of the crowd later, and Theo left the first window to move onto the next one in order to repeat the process. Twelve windows later, and Theo's job in the ballroom was nearly finished.

"And let the games begin," Theo whispered as he pressed his fingertips against the last pane of glass and let his fire powers exude forth.

The window heated up at an alarming rate. In seconds, the circle Theo had placed on there couldn't take the temperature. The patch contained a large amount of explosive that would only be ignited when heated or with strong vibrations. It was highly unstable, so it could only be made into the small, circular patches. Despite its danger of being temperamental and sensitive, they were the perfect means at destroying things without hurting anyone. And that was the sole reason the explosive had been chosen for this night.

The first pane of glass shattered with an exciting small pop of fire. As the first few gasps and screams erupted from the crowd at the disturbance of a window being smashed, the vibrations from it had carried over to the second window. Same as the first, the second pane splintered and cracked in a mass of tingling glass.

It was a domino effect. One by one, the window panes burst and destroyed into millions of sharp pieces. The crowds were frightened by now and were either screaming or running for safety out of the ballroom. Confusion was the main emotion in the room. No one knew what was going on.

"And for my final trick," Theo said quietly, flourishing a small metal container from the secrecy of his cloak. He pulled the pin out and lobbed it away from himself. Green smoke burst from the container, filling that side of the room with the billowing smog. It took a second for the smoke to be gathered by the air currents outside the demolished windows and swoop out of the building.

Vlad Plasmius watched this happen with an excited grin. The first move had been made. It would only be a matter of time before the Rebellion was crushed. He couldn't wait to see the stupid expression on young and foolish Danny Phantom's face when the boy realized this. It would be the ultimate victory for the ghost.

"Takashi," Plasmius called quietly for his Guardian. The cloaked figure stood faithfully by the ghost's side, waiting anxiously for his orders. Grinning maliciously, Vlad commanded, "Go retrieve Miss Manson. I'm sure she'd enjoy a dance before her final breath."

"Yes, master."

-Danny-

His stomach felt contorted. Danny didn't think it was solely because of the sway of the ship under his feet. His insides had felt conflicted but determined ever since his skirmish with Cloak Guy the other night. The teen could only hope that he'd have the strength to carry through with his mission.

"Take a deep breath," Rhodes ordered the boy from behind him. They stood on the ledge of the small metal ship. The hull of it was hollow and open, giving all the passengers the up close view of the city beneath them. Danny and Rhodes hung onto looping strips of leather from the ceiling. Their squads stood behind them, preparing for battle and hardly talking in their grave anxiousness.

Danny obeyed Rhodes's command before looking over to her with a smile. She returned the expression and clamped a delicate hand on his strong shoulder. "Nervous?" he asked her with a chuckle.

"Of course," she admitted. "My husband is making a scene at the moment. I can't help but to worry for his safety." She paused to look out over the brilliant lights of the city. Her long, red hair floated around her head almost magically in the wind. Looking like this strong woman warrior now, Danny knew exactly why Theo had fallen for Rhodes. She was beautiful.

"He'll be fine," Danny assured her with all honesty.

"I know," Rhodes said, smiling sweetly at the teen. "You'll be fine too, Danny."

"Well, let's hope so," the boy muttered, retreating his gaze down to the city.

Rhodes moved her hand from his shoulder to Danny's chin. She gently turned his head to face her, her eyes peering earnestly into his marvelous and lost blue ones. They stared at each other before Rhodes told him finally, "I mean that, Danny. You'll be fine. You'll make the right choice. Trust your heart. It has never let you down."

"That's what everyone keeps saying, but it's not that easy," Danny said almost bitterly.

"Don't doubt the wise words of a kitsune," Rhodes said in mock offense. She put on a wily smile as she said quietly, "I have more powers than just the simple ability to command electricity with my fingertips."

Danny grinned at her. He didn't know what to say. How do you argue with that?

A distant explosion rocked everyone out of their pensive moods. Danny leaned out of the open hull and watched with wide eyes as a puff of green smoke stormed out of a floor to the tower they were approaching. Theo was down there. The teen glanced at the demigod's wife. She was grinning with a rush of exhilaration. This made Danny smile too. This was supposed to be a day of turning point for the world. He was determined to set things right.

-Sam-

"Hundred and twenty," Sam grunted as she lowered her body with her arms an inch above the cool concrete floor. Her arms pumped in rapid function as she easily rose her entire figure up and back down. "Hundred and twenty one."

The door to her cell was opened with a hiss of air. Sam paused in her position above the floor. She stared up at the person there. It looked like Cloak Guy. But that couldn't be right. Confusion warped her face.

"It's me," the hooded figure said in a rush after shaking his head. "Takashi."

"Why are you in that form?" Sam asked as she got to her feet. These days she didn't feel weak and scrawny at all. She felt hungry but fit and ready. Crossing her muscled arms, she asked, "And why are you here? You already gave me breakfast. Did I sleep too much? Darn it. I wish I had a clock."

"Plasmius has summoned you," he said, ignoring her first question.

He watched as Sam's face went through a mix of rough emotions. First there was a look of wavering fear. She knew what could be coming. This could easily be her last hour of living. It was a scary thought. Then, with a flare of pride, an expression of righteous anger and strength came to the young woman's features. She was prepared for whatever the future brought her.

"Alright," Sam said, trying not to choke on the word as she nodded. "Let's go."

-Ember-

"Alright, you dipsticks! Listen up!" Ember yelled at her crew of men and woman all stationed properly on her top deck. Skulker and Lydia stood behind her. This was the pop princess's show now. Her orders had been taken straight from Plasmius. There were going to be no more arguments.

"Your job is to keep the Rebellion away from the Tower. I'll be dropped off on the roof. After that, you take your orders from Skulker. Got that?" She was satisfied with their nods. "You're all dismissed." The crew went back to their jobs with a mass of quick, running footsteps.

"Why do I have to stay here?" Skulker asked. Lydia's shoulders visibly slumped when the hint of whine was in her master's voice. No one noticed the Guardian.

"Do you have one of these?" Ember spat at the other ghost. She held up her Amulet of Tula for the ghost of the hunt to see before she slung the chain around her neck with an evil smirk pointed in the guy's direction.

"No," Skulker said in a grumble. "But your the captain of this stupid ship. I don't see why you can't give me that amulet and you stay here."

"Maybe Vlad trusts me more," Ember said, practically gloating.

"That's not likely," Skulker argued. "We're both at the same kind of trust." He added in a mumble, "Which isn't much."

"Then Plasmius probably knows I'll get the job done better than you," Ember jeered with a cruel curl of her lip. "When have you ever actually captured the ghost boy?"

"Hey!" the ghost of the hunt protested loudly. The conversation that followed went along the same lines as all their other quarrels.

Lydia shifted her gaze from the two ghosts and settled her red eyes on the tower coming up. She wondered if she'd be lucky enough tonight and have her master killed. It was a novel thought. The Guardian couldn't help but smile a little.

-Rhodes-

The landing on the roof of the Tower wasn't the most graceful ones Rhodes had experienced. The young lady didn't complain for a second, though. When there were other ships shooting at yours, she was sure any landing wouldn't be smooth.

The hull slammed harshly into the roof, throwing the passengers into each other. Rhodes hung onto her strap as she was almost hurled out of the ship. When she had found her balance, Rhodes turned behind her to her squads and ordered loudly, "Squads one and eight are with me! Let's go! Move!"

Rhodes fearlessly leapt from the ship, knowing her people were going to follow after her. Landing, the kitsune smiled as Bob joined her. He looked skittish but okay. He flittered around her as she and the two squads ran for the vault door on the other side of the roof.

The air was filled with the sound of thumping combat boots and the gun fire from spiraling ships flying above. The squad that was acting as aerial protection was doing their job well. Rhodes didn't have to break stride on her way to the vault.

It wasn't till she had Bob and the other technicians on her team working out the vault computer system that the kitsune experienced trouble. She felt a large ship pass over them. Its massive shadow splayed across the roof's gritty floor. The warriors quickly looked up, their weapons at the ready. Rhodes was surprised when a lone ghost jumped off the ship and landed before her and her squads.

"You guys ready to rock?" Ember shouted at them as if she was screaming at a faithful crowd of hard rockers at a concert. Her voice was filled with the intoxicating thrill of battle as she grinned evilly at her opponents.

"Attack!" Rhodes ordered the warriors. They were all prepared for this command. The second it rolled out of the kitsune's mouth, the warriors ran forward with battle yells.

Ember aimed her guitar at the the incoming group before plucking a chord on her supped up guitar. The devastating noise blared out of the powerful instrument. Anyone in the line of fire was forced off their feet, propelled backwards, and luckily landed at the edge of the tower's roof. Some were close to slipping right off the building.

Laughing darkly, Ember twisted a knob on her guitar to widen the range of her shots and redirected her aim. She was too late. Before she could slam down on another chord, Rhodes was upon her.

_Zap!_

The warriors skidded to a sudden stop and ducked to protect themselves when Ember seemed to explode. Rhodes stood still in the midst of the fire and smoke, short but sturdy in her fierce stance. The warriors peered through the smoke as it cleared. They saw their kitsune leader grinning devilishly at the surprised and outraged Ember McLain as the ghost stared down at her broken and destroyed guitar. One touch of Rhodes's electric powers had fried the thing.

"You will pay for that!" Ember screamed furiously at the kitsune. She flung her guitar with a gaping hole in it over her head. Rhodes skirted out of the way with a effortless cartwheel. The guitar smashed against the ground a second later. Growling in her anger now, Ember swung her weapon over Rhodes's head.

"She's yours, men," Rhodes declared while calmly standing up.

"Huh?" was the only thing Ember could utter before the warriors were on her. Some incoherent screams and violet kicking later, and Ember was securely tied up with anti-ghost rope and sat there with a peeved look of extreme fury planted on her features.

"That's one bothersome taken care of," Rhodes stated proudly to her warriors as she dusted her hands off. "You guys did good."

"We'd all be doomed if you hadn't taken out her guitar," one of the warriors chuckled as they all walked back to the vault door. "You sure it's a good idea to leave her here?" he asked, throwing a thumb over his shoulder in Ember's direction.

"Let her cool off," Rhodes said with a small smile. "She didn't put up much of a fight, anyways. Besides, she's practically powerless without her guitar." She stopped beside the vault before asking, "How's it going, Bob?"

She had her answer a second later when, with a rumble of unlocking bolts, the vault door slid smoothly open for the two squads. Rhodes stared down at the dark depths of the tower, nervousness plucking at her stomach. This was the hard part of the plan. She just hoped everyone was ready for it. If not, they were all going to see.

"You ready, boys?" Rhodes said to her squads. "Into the dark, scary hole we go."

-Danny-

The teen watched from his position hanging off the side of the building as ships soared around the Tower firing at each other. He had already practiced with his rappel gun about a thousand times and so was securely in place with his feet flat against the surface of the building and his body leaning against the strain of the thick chord before his squad was. Zara was strapping Melody to her back beside the teen. The Guardian hadn't said a thing all day. She was as silent as her master for once in her life.

"Here comes Mandrake!" Danny told Zara in feverish awe.

The Guardian looked up in the right direction Mandrake was flying in. She, along with the rest of the squad, watched as the dragon soared gracefully through the night air. In the moonlight, his ruby scales shimmered maliciously with an eerie and faint crimson glow. His dragon form was a force to be reckoned with for sure.

Swooping in with the air of powerful annihilation, Mandrake opened his fanged mouth and shot forth a stream of red and orange flames. The fire struck the deck of an enemy ship, scorching it within seconds. It took less than a minute for the ship to plummet to its doom; useless, charred, and forgotten. The dragon was already flying in for the kill of the next ship.

"He's good," were Zara's first words of the day. "I still don't like him, but I've got to admit he's good.

"Can you ever alter your form to look like that?" Danny asked her.

Zara looked back down at the boy and shook her head. "No," she answered. "It would take most of my power to get that big of form. It's easier to maintain smaller forms. Helps Guardians store more power. So even if I managed to get to the form of a dragon, I wouldn't have as much power as I would have if I was a puny human." She grinned at the boy before adding, "Nice way to change the subject, though. Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Oh, jeez!" Danny whispered in sudden remembrance. He turned his head around to look out over the line of warriors all ready for him to give the go ahead to descend. Some smiled reassuringly at him. Others looked tense. One or two had the tall tale expressions of a warrior who had been waiting for a certain battle for a very long time.

"Alright, boys...and girl," Danny called to his squad, adding the female part just in time to get a spunky glare from the only girl warrior in his group besides Zara and Melody. He grinned at her. Danny knew he could pull a pretty good pre-battle uplighting speech out of his butt and get a cheer from his men and woman, but he settled with something short and sweet.

"Let's kick some butt!"

With whoops of excitement and unexpected laughter, Danny led his squad down the side of the Tower. The city and its tiny, dazzling lights were thousands of feet below them, but Danny didn't feel an ounce of fear. Instead, he grasped at the adrenaline buzz and smiled with determination.

Squad five rappelled down the side of the Tower till they were upon the green smoke from Theo's signal. In unison, the warriors, Danny, and Zara jumped away from the side of the looming building with the help of their rappel guns and swooped dangerously through the broken windows into the ballroom. When inside, they all released themselves from their harnesses while in mid air and landed steadily on solid ground in a synchronized, flawless manner.

All of the sudden, the crowd, his squad, the Guardian, and Melody just didn't matter to Danny anymore. He let the rings of power burst across his body as his blue/green eyes narrowed in search.

This was it. This was going to be the moment of truth. He was going to see just how far he'd come. He felt ready. No. He _knew_ he was ready for the fight ahead.

He didn't have to wait long. Ghost senses on high alert, Danny felt Plasmius behind him before the attack came. The teen spun sharply around while throwing up a forcefield. A fist slammed against it. Jumping back a step, Danny thrust a palm full of ectoplasm energy at his enemy.

Plasmius was there to conjure a pink forcefield in defense. His nefarious evil smirk was upon his lips as he pushed a palm at Danny and watched as his shield flew at the boy like an incoming wall of pain. Without skipping a beat, Danny flattened himself against the ground, rolled under the shield, and bounced out of the roll with a battle cry and a fist raised for a punch.

The punch was never executed. Plasmius caught the teen's wrist just in time. His smirk turned into a grin as he poured his electricity power into the boy. Danny didn't even flinch. Grunting in effort, the ghost boy gripped Plasmius's wrist and incased the man's entire hand in ice with a flash of blue and white light.

To Vlad's surprise, Danny relentlessly kneed the ghost in the chest before driving an elbow into his face. Danny was seconds away from blasting a high powered ball of ectoplasm energy at Plasmius point blank when the man recovered and fired at the boy.

Pink energy buzzed past Danny's head when the young ghost swiftly dodged by leaning to the side. Behind him he heard the explosion as the energy ball hit the wall. Screams of fear and panic could also be heard, but Danny wasn't paying attention to anyone else but Plasmius now.

Battle yell releasing from his throat, Danny shot a feint throw of ecto energy at the man before launching himself into a roundhouse kick. Plasmius caught the quick leg; but only to get his hands frozen in solid ice upon contact. Danny yanked his leg free and summoned a large ball of energy. Just as he was letting the ball of green fire loose, Vlad broke free of the ice and grabbed both Danny's wrists. Smiling devilishly into the surprised boy's face for the briefest of a second, Plasmius proceeded to fling the young ghost over his head and into the ground.

Danny let out a yelp of pain on impact and gasped when he found himself being thrown across the room at break neck speed. Vlad flew after him, chuckling as he raised a glowing fist. Danny gritted his teeth, instantly corrected his balance in mid air, and stopped Vlad's assaulting fist before it did any damage by capturing it in two deft hands. In a single, dextrous move, Danny had Plasmius flipping over his head and crashing into the floor.

It was at this time that Danny decided to give the man some space. He landed a yard or two away, watching as Vlad rapidly recovered from the blow. They stared at each other for a second or two and silently took the other in. Neither were panting or had a single scar. For once in his life, Danny felt evenly matched.

"Well, well, well, Daniel," Plasmius said finally, voice ever so smooth and the grin never vanishing from his face. "I do have to say that I'm impressed. You've gotten better."

"More than better, Plasmius," Danny practically spat the name out. "I'm just as good as you."

"Don't flatter yourself, boy," Plasmius laughed mockingly at the kid. "No ghost is as powerful as I. You might have a little determination and great passion for what you fight for, but your skills will never match mine."

"You don't believe me? Then watch and be dismayed, cheese head," Danny said, flowing into a fighting stance with hands raised at his sides. They glowed with the green creepy light of his ectoplasm power.

"Cheese head," Plasmius said calmly, not rising to the boy's bait. "You really are a child, Danny Phantom." He laughed boldly when Danny's eyes flashed a deeper emerald. "And there goes your adorable temper," he said boisterously. Tone changing to one of seriousness, the ghost said quietly, "I was greatly wrong about you."

The energy seemed to drain from Danny's hands as he stepped out of his fighting stance and gave his old enemy a confused look. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly.

"There was a time where I truly believed you could be like me," Vlad told the boy with a look of pretend pity. "I thought that I could somehow break you and make you as evil and powerful as I was. Now I see how foolish that train of thought was. You could always get stronger, Daniel, but you could never turn your heart black."

"Why are you telling me this?" Danny asked although he was sure he knew the answer already. Panic clawed at his chest. Why was it hard to breathe so suddenly?

"Isn't it obvious, boy?" Plasmius said loudly. "I've already won! Because you could never be evil, you could never bring yourself to kill me. Willingly, at least. If you had the guts to kill me, you wouldn't be standing right where you are talking to me. You would have engaged me in battle till I took my last breath. But you haven't. You haven't for a second tried to kill me this entire evening. Face it, child! You're weak and you're going to lose!"

"No," Danny gasped in a desperate whisper. He shook his head as fear snaked through his body and tried to ensnarl his heart with its icy grasp.

Before the terror could claw its way to the surface, anger burned deeply inside the boy. He wasn't some child anymore! For years he had to put up with loses under Vlad Plasmius. The wicked ghost had destroyed and enslaved the earth for his own evil and selfish gain. People were counting on Danny to win today and restore order and peace. How dare he listen to these words and believe them!

"No!" Danny screamed in sudden fury. "I might be weak. I might not have the guts to kill you. But that does not mean I'm going to lose tonight. I'm just as powerful as you. I don't have to kill you to win, Vlad."

"That may be true," Plasmius said with heated pleasure in his voice. His red eyes shown with vicious amusement as he told the teen, "But isn't that selfishness on your part? I've killed. No. I've _slaughtered_ most of the human race without a care. For years I've enslaved these pathetic humans and anyone who wishes to defy me.

"I plan on wiping every part of the Rebellion off the face of the earth in the coming months. Everyone you have met. Everyone you have become friends with. Everyone you hold dear will eventually die because of me. I don't care what it takes. I want them all to suffer a humiliating and painful death. In a year, I want my people to tremble at even the mention of the Rebellion because they know the consequences those people had for their complete foolishness.

"Don't you understand, boy?" Plasmius seethed with dire conviction. "Because you can't and won't kill me, you're dooming these people. Do you really believe that beating me into submission will stop me? Even if you took all my power away and threw me into prison, I've already established followers. Before the Rebellion could kill me, they would be overruled by the people.

"The Rebellion wasn't stupid. They knew it had to be you. Only you were the one who was allowed to kill me. It establishes their cause so well. But they were ignorant to put all their trust in you, Daniel. Here you are. An arrogant, self-seeking child with powers beyond your understanding and control. You were not made to murder, boy. How could they possibly have the confidence in your ability to kill me?

"I knew all along that you would weaken under your own inexperience," the ghost continued despite Danny's twisted look of anger. "You don't have the motivation or the passion to kill me like these people in the Rebellion. They've seen and suffered under my rule for most of their lives. You've only seen small amount of it. Three months in this world is nothing to a lifetime they've endured.

"Maybe if you had more time you would see, but, unfortunately for you, time isn't on your side tonight. So, here you stand, not sure what to do. You are torn between saving this world and being the hero you're so used to being and your selfish, childish guilt that comes with the action of cold blooded murder. Which one should you choose? These people you don't know? Or your own soul? Pity how hard it is to have the job of superhero, isn't it, Daniel."

Here Vlad Plasmius paused to splay a vicious, consuming smile across his face. His fangs and eyes flashed sinisterly in the light of the ballroom. Plasmius enjoyed the look of pain on Danny's face as the boy tried to settle the matter out in his head at that exact second. It was never going to work that way. He had lost already. And from the evident fear and anger displayed on the teen's face, Vlad knew that Danny knew.

"I'll make your decision easier for you, Danny," Plasmius said as if in consideration for the boy's needs. He snapped his gloved fingers. The sound echoed hauntingly off the walls of the empty ballroom.

Danny stood stock still in silence. He held his breath. He didn't see the people watching them from the door and outskirts of the room. Every onlooker had seemed to have gone mute as they leaned in with captivation to Vlad's words. Some had marvel on their faces. The squad members were frozen in growing trepidation. To them, it was obvious Danny had lost and that his situation was steadily getting worse.

A cloaked figure appeared beside Plasmius. He was holding the arms of a girl with unkept hair and a gritty face. Her clothing was worn and torn. The fabric hung off her dirty, sickly thin form. Although hardly recognizable to the ghost teen in her current condition, Sam Manson's violet eyes could never be altered.

"Danny!" Sam gasped when seeing her boyfriend for the first time in two long and tiresome months. She lunged forward with an outstretched hand. The cloaked figure firmly brought her skinny form back to him and held her tight. The girl had tears in her eyes. She didn't like the look on Danny's face. It scared her.

"Sam," Danny choked out in a strained whisper. Realization set in. He'd never be able to give her up for the lives of the Rebellion. He knew it was selfish. He knew it was wrong. But it was true.

In his peak of despair, the teen fell to his knees. Emotions tore at his stomach. He felt too weak to stand anymore. Placing his fisted upon the ground, Danny had no other way to get his inner suffering out but with tears. He and the Rebellion had lost. There was no point denying it. Danny Phantom's time was up.

Time.

That single word made a mad flare of hope flitter through Danny's head. Tears streaking down his face, the teen raised his head to look up at Vlad, Takashi, and Sam. Why was Takashi in Cloak Guy's form? Why hadn't he noticed this before? What had Cloak Guy said just the other night? Something about going back in _time_ and how'd it would never deter him from saving the Rebellion.

There it was! Time! If only he had more time! More time to understand the severity of Vlad Plasmius's rule over the future. More time to plan. More time to deal with his inner struggle. Even Vlad had told him that if he had more time, maybe he'd have a reason to kill him.

Hope making his heart beat hard against his chest, Danny glanced around the room as he frantically thought it out. He didn't notice the people looking at him or Sam's distant call of his name again. Not even Vlad's curious look of skepticism registered in the teen's working brain. The only thing he would be able to remember from that moment was how Takashi stared at him from the darkness of his hood the entire time.

Danny finally understood.

Gasping for breath because of the miraculously sudden comprehension, Danny stood up on his knees. He looked down at the clock cog from Clockwork as he gently took the necklace in his hands. The ghost of time was on his side. He had always been. And if Danny needed more time, it was Clockwork who was going to give it to him.

Smiling sadly, Danny realized Clockwork had already given him everything he needed.

Danny's eyes looked up. They fell on Sam. She was fighting in Takashi's strong arms, desperation on her tear stained face as she reached for him. She was yelling his name and trying to talk reason into him. Even to the end she was a warrior. He loved that in her.

"I'm sorry," Danny said softly. In one, fluid motion, Danny yanked off his necklace, held it up at his eye level, and then threw it across the floor. The ballroom had fallen silent in suspense. The cog bounced across the glass-like surface of the floor before stopping at Vlad Plasmius's feet.

Danny Phantom was gone. He had run out his time.

"No!" Sam screamed, a sob racking her body. Why had he done that? Why had he given up? That wasn't like him. He wasn't a quitter. It didn't make sense to the girl anymore. Confusion stormed her brain. She couldn't bear with the reality of it all as she sunk into Takashi's comforting arms. He let her cry into his shoulder.

Danny had abandoned her, the Rebellion, and the world in that single second he took the necklace off. No one had expected it. Not even Plasmius.

The ghost wasn't quite sure if he should feel victorious or furious over the matter. He had really wanted to have his payback on the boy by killing him and his girl. For a second or two, Plasmius stared at the spot Danny had been before reverting his cold gaze to the necklace, mulling it over. With Danny gone and out of the picture, Sam didn't matter anymore. Plasmius guessed it was finally time to get rid of her as he turned stiffly to his Guardian.

"Takashi. Kill her," Plasmius ordered in a stony voice.

The cloaked figure didn't move. It merely looked up at the ghost standing there as if nothing had happened. Sam sniffed away her tears quickly. Something was wrong. Tears would only encumber her if she didn't pull herself together. She clung to Takashi's cloak and looked back and forth between him and Vlad.

"No," Sam told Takashi with a passionate shake of her head. "You told me you wouldn't do this, Takashi!"

"Kill her," Plasmius commanded again. This time his voice held the stern tone of authority in it. If Takashi disobeyed another time, it was surely hurt the Guardian.

No sign of pain was inflicted upon the cloaked figure. He still stared at Plasmius as if waiting for something as he held Sam protectively close. In that flash of a second, Vlad understood what had happened. His face darkened in rage. Sam was too scared for words or movement. She wished she could run. But that wouldn't do anything useful for the both of them. She didn't know what to do anymore.

"You are not my Guardian," Vlad spat vehemently at Cloak Guy.

"Correct," Cloak Guy said, voice hard.

"What?" Sam managed to sputter in astonishment. She looked intently up at Cloak Guy, heart beating fast in anxiety. Who was this guy? Was he friend or foe?

Before this question could be answered, Plasmius lunged forward with a glowing hand of pink energy. Cloak Guy reacted in the blink of an eye. He unsheathed his sword from its place on his back while simultaneously jumping backwards and out of Vlad's reach. Just as Plasmius flung his ball of ectoplasm at the trickster, Cloak Guy's sword glowed green with power.

The pink sphere of raw energy hit the sword. Cloak Guy expertly maneuvered his blade so as to redirect the orientation of the ball. In a brilliant flash of green and pink light, the ball careened off to the side and crashed into the wall. The crowd gasped in surprise. Even Vlad looked slightly shocked after seeing the deft move.

Cloak Guy raised his glimmering sword at Vlad. The point of the weapon seemed to have a certain amount of poised confidence residing in it. Even with his face in shadows, Cloak Guy's bold composure could be felt by anyone who looked at him.

It was in that single moment Cloak Guy had responded to Vlad's attack that Sam understood who the mystery man was. She stared up into the shadow's of his hood as she said quietly, "No way. You-you can't be. No. It has to be you. It _is_ you! Danny!"

The onlooker's gasped when Sam quickly reached up and yanked off Cloak Guy's hood. The young man had a messy mass of pure white locks. Some of them fell into his emerald green eyes. But what was unmistakable was his smile. It was boyish and cocky just like Sam had already liked and remembered.

Danny Phantom had never left.

A/N: At first I was deciding over ending the chapter when Danny first vanishes, then I was like, "Nah! These poor readers have been through a enough evil cliffhangers for one fan fic." So I went with my original plan and ended it with the revealing of Cloak Guy. Now I can finally stop calling Danny Cloak Guy. It gets bothersome after a while. ha ha! See you readers in two weeks with the rest of the finale!


	40. Chapter 40 Chaotic Crumbles

A/N: If you need an explanation as to why this chapter is so darn, freaking late, look over to the scroll bar. See how small it is? You see, firstly, I have work 8 hours a day and no time to type. Secondly, I got a REALLY bad case of writer's block for two full weeks. Lastly, I wanted to pour everything I had into the chapter and so decided to make it much longer than I planned on it being. In the end, I'm glad I made it long. It's good, fun, and satisfying this way. So, without further ado, here is the second to last chapter of Future Mythology!

Disclaimer: Most of the characters are mine. Those few Danny Phantom ones aren't, though.

Chapter 40 Chaotic Crumbles

Rushing down lone and empty hallways, Theo sprinted toward his destination in the fear that things were falling apart. His communicator with the squad that followed Danny into the ballroom had reported that the ghost boy was running into some troubles. The demigod left the line of communication open with the other squads, waiting tensely for the worse as he raced up the abandoned stairwells and flung himself around corridors.

Eventually, Theo met up with the two squads on Level 56 of the Tower. He ran blindly around a corner and pulled up short when his head came up level with a couple dozen cocked and ready gun barrels being held by fidgety Rebellion warriors.

"Calm yourselves down. It's me, guys," Theo said breathlessly as he yanked down his hood to reveal his face. The display of feline features was a great relief for the warriors. A general sigh exuded from the group as they retracted their weapons and welcomed their comrade.

"Oh, thank the gods!" Rhodes whispered as she suddenly flung her arms around her husband from behind. Theo grinned with the sweet embrace, relishing the touch of his wife as she told him, "You are the worse kind of husband. Obsessed with fire and notoriously a hothead. That combination makes me worry."

"You forgot reckless and handsome," Theo teased.

"Oh, how could I forget?" Rhodes sighed in pretend exasperation. She giggled anyways before bringing him into a quick, passionate kiss that left the demigod wanting more. Rhodes held his head still, asking with a quirked eyebrow, "You ready for this?"

Clearing his now hoarse throat, Theo said with total honesty, "I was until you just did that."

"Sorry," the kitsune said, looking genuinely contrite as her fox ears lowered in dismay.

Theo chuckled lightly. "I'll get over it," he told her. "But promise me you'll finish what you've started when we survive this night." The kitsune brightened with this statement.

"Get a room, you two! Disgusting!" one of the warriors barked at the couple suddenly. Laughter and repressed giggles flittered about the group at both their flat eared reactions. It was their cue to come back to reality and lead the two squads into the fray.

"I'm gonna hurt whoever said that," Theo called out to all the warriors half jokingly. He left his wife to lead the large group over to an elevator. He punched in a code on the side to open the doors. As soon as the doors rolled open, guns were drawn and cocked as Theo froze in alarm and fear.

Leaning lackadaisically against the far window on the elevator, hands loosely placed in pockets, and apathetic smirk on his lips stood Takashi. He took in the hostile crowd of warriors with an evil gleam in his dark eyes. His tone was cool and collected as he told the warriors, "I admire your silly bravery, but you all know those guns won't work on me."

"Don't lower your weapons," Theo ordered the warriors. He took a step forward, asking Takashi in a snarl, "Why are you here?"

As if ignoring the question, the aloof Guardian asked, "You know how to get to Level 55, Theo? I'm sure you do with your experience. You punch in the code into that panel there like you did. Ride the elevator down to the level. Swipe your card into the control panel inside the elevator. After that, you're practically scott free of securities. Sounds easy enough, right?"

"Stop avoiding the subject!" Theo barked back, thoroughly fed up with Takashi's antics that night. "Why do all Guardians have to play coy?" he muttered under his breath.

"I'll make this simple for you," Takashi sighed. He looked off to the side of the elevator as if losing interest fast. "The card the Rebellion stole for this mission is expired. It won't work. If you want specifics, that card is going to raise an alarm that will bring every Guardian and soldier stationed inside the Tower right to you.

"The kind of card you need is mine," he said, pulling out the flat, plastic object from his pocket. "Luckily, I'm in a generous mood to use it."

"Wait! You're helping us? Why?" Theo asked in total confusion and surprise.

Takashi didn't answer at first. He merely put on a sad, tired frown. Then, with a voice full of graveness, he said, "I've been working for Plasmius for thirty long human years. I want to go home."

The warriors all shifted their steady gazes to Rhodes and Theo for orders, not knowing what to do with this new twist in their plans. Either the Guardian had orders to trick them, or it was going to be their biggest alley that night. No one knew if they should believe the words the Guardian had uttered. Nobody knew how to respond.

"How can we ever trust you?" Theo asked finally. Although the Guardian seemed to be speaking the truth, the demigod wasn't going to give up his trust so comfortably. Zaramama could have easily spun a tall tale like this one in a mere second. Who said Takashi didn't have the same tendency for trickery?

"Can you afford not to?" Takashi shot back. The smirk upon his lips had retrogressed to its wicked origins.

"Yes," the half sphinx angrily spat back. He sharply swiped his hand through the air as he commanded with boldness, "Now get out of our way."

There was a frightening pause as no one said or did anything. Takashi and Theo continued to glare at each other, staring down the other in a dangerous dare of nerves and endurance.

"Theo, let's let him help us," Rhodes spoke up quietly.

Surprise burst across Theo's face. His ears perked up as he turned his head to the side and asked in astonishment, "You actually trust this guy? He's the Guardian of the enemy!"

"Exactly," Rhodes said calmly. "If he was here to harm us, we'd all be fighting for our lives or dead by now. Plasmius didn't order this Guardian to attack us. He's doing what he wants right now before he's summoned later tonight. Don't you see?"

"Listen to the kitsune, Theo," Takashi said, smiling slightly. He'd learned from his close relationship with Sam that smiling nicely made a Guardian look human and sincere. He needed it here if he was going to win Theo over. "She's a wise one."

Sighing heavily in defeat, Theo's shoulders slumped downward as if he was deflating. A second later he sprung back to his normal self as he ordered his warriors, "Everyone into the elevator! Now!"

Everyone filed swiftly into the cramped space. Takashi stepped forward to the control panel and typed in the code to bring them to Level 55. Theo watched him closely, his narrowed eyes never straying from the Guardian. Takashi didn't mind. Actually, he was having a hard time keeping down a victorious smile. He hadn't felt this kind of hopeful emotion before. It was odd yet exhilarating at the same time. He enjoyed the sensation of it.

"I'll warn everyone now," Takashi said as the elevator stopped on the right level. "There is a Guardian who works on this floor. He's been ordered to kill anyone who might threaten the place, even if that means killing himself. Don't underestimate him. I'll help the majority of you guys in fending him off while Theo goes for the Infi-map."

"How did you know I was going after the Infi-map?" Theo asked suspiciously.

"You and I know we're not allowed to answer that question truthfully," Takashi chuckled. Theo faltered, trying not to feel every questionable eye in the elevator fall on him. Takashi quickly swiped his card over the control panel as he gave one last piece of advice. "There's a defense mechanism on the Infi-map. I don't know what it is, but I thought you might like to be warned."

"Thanks. That makes me feel a lot better," Theo said sarcastically. Takashi smirked at the humor as he watched the door swish open. Grim smiles could be seen on some of the faces of the warriors. The tense situation diffused most of the group from finding anything funny in the sarcasm.

The hallway to the main chamber seemed a mile long in Theo's nervousness. He swallowed the thick ball of fear stuck in his throat before squaring his shoulders and taking the first step forward. Purposefully, the demigod marched toward the bolted doors on the other side of the metal hallway. The squads followed after the young man. Rhodes traveled with graceful, powerful strides on his left. His right held the carefree swagger of Takashi. The group may have been odd, but their mission was etched on all their serious, determined faces. Winning was their only option that night.

-Danny-

The ballroom was in an uproar. The crowd of guests and squad members were sharing the news of Danny's surprise return with the ones around them. Their voices echoed like the haunting sounds of ghosts off the large room's walls and domed ceiling.

Danny didn't notice this lone fact. He stood with Sam wrapped in one arm and his other stretched out toward Plasmius with his sword held out at the end. The grin upon his face was a staggering transformation from the defeated tears the boy had been shedding just moments before. The expression angered the ghost opposite the teen, putting a sour, dirty scowl on the man's face.

"What did you do? How did you get here?" Sam asked Danny breathlessly from his side. Her frail hands clutched his cloak. She never wanted to let him go.

"Clockwork had it all set up," Danny explained, glancing briefly down at his girlfriend. His grin never wavered. "He knew I would take the necklace off at the last second in my defeat. He knew I'd come to him and plead for more time. He knew he would give it to me.

"That's what I've been doing for the past few months. I've been using my time wisely. I've been traveling to this time period and learning all I can from it. All the destruction, poverty, death, and misplaced power. I've seen it all. I took it all in. The entire time, the only persons I was allowed to talk to here were Takashi and myself. Not even you could know my final plan."

"_You're_ final plan?" Vlad scoffed at the teen. "Don't kid your prideful self, boy. Only Clockwork could have put together such a scheme."

"That's where you're wrong, Plasmius," Danny said. His grin was long gone by now. His voice took on a serious role as he said, "Clockwork knew I'd come to him after taking off the necklace he had given me, but he didn't know the plan. He knew how to refine it and make it work because he had studied the different outcomes, but I was the one who came up with everything. He might have acted like he was the mastermind, but that was because I wanted him to look that way.

"Everything from me coming back here to make sure my past self killed the gladiator and to tell Takashi to transform into my cloaked form to trick you at the end was all my idea. Clockwork is bound by his own set of rules of time the Observants have laid upon him. He's not allowed to intervene with his own ideas unless he's certain of an outcome. But when I presented him with my plan, he didn't mind helping me execute it. He might have known I'd come to him with the plan and knew everything about it, but he'd never be able to do it all on his own."

"Alright, Daniel," Plasmius said with a disbelieving sniff. "Let's say what you told us is true. Why come back? To rescue your sweetheart? Is that all? If you're so ignorant as to believe you have the power and strength to kill me now, you are more imbecilic than I first thought you to be."

"Don't talk to me as if I'm some misbehaving, foolish teen, Plasmius," Danny calmly shot back with dark force in his voice. "You must remember me as the fourteen-year-old boy with hardly a skill at fighting and a hopeful set of morals. But I've changed. Just like you.

"You're not the cold-hearted man with wicked ambitions to rule the world and to obtain the love of my mom anymore like I best remember you. Your human side is gone. The only thing you are now is a powerful ghost with all you've ever wanted. This world you've been ruling has been satisfying your crave for chaos for practically half a century.

"Tonight it ends."

-Theo-

The large metal doors slid away. Mac was there waiting for them. He had felt Takashi's presence even before Theo and the warriors had stumbled into him on the elevator. The Guardian stood at the entrance, dog teeth bared in defense.

"What are you doing, Takashi?" Mac growled menacingly at the other Guardian. "Why are you doing this? You know Plasmius will kill you the second he figures out what you're doing!"

"I'm doing this because I'm tired of this world. Just like all the other Guardians," Takashi said with calm sadness. "I can't carry on in this miserable world with all these new human emotions bottling up inside of me. It's not safe anymore. All I want to do is go home. Start over. I'm sick of this place. I'm going home...even if it kills me. I'm at the point that I can't care about death anymore. So, Mac, you're either with me or against me."

"You know I can't do what you're doing," Mac said. His voice sounded heavy and regretful. "If I defy my post here, I'll be killed in a split second. I'm not willing to simply throw away my life like you are. You're crazy, man! Can't you see that? Where's the calm and collected Guardian I've come to known?"

"Still here, Mac," Takashi said, smiling slightly. "I'm not crazy, and I'm not backing down. Go easy on us, my friend."

Mac stared long and hard at Takashi as if gauging the words and emotions from the Guardian before coming to an ultimate decision. Finally, he let his doggy lips curve into an evil smile as he said, "Let's see what you got, kid."

The first attack happened so fast, if you blinked you'd have missed it. Takashi transformed into his samurai form just as Mac morphed quickly into the form of an important Nazi general. Takashi sprung forward with his raised sword. Mac didn't even blink as he brought up his Walther P-38 pistol and fired two rounds. A deft flick of Takashi's wrist positioned his katana to block the bullets. The samurai landed right in front of the general. He slashed his sword at the enemy. The Nazi jumped back to avoid the attack just in time, simultaneously firing three more rounds in perfect succession. One of the bullets embedded itself inside the Guardian's essence.

As this went on, Theo took his chance to get to the Infi-map on the other side of the room. He sprinted past the two fighting Guardians with Rhodes by his side and half the warriors behind him. The other half of the warriors tried getting good shots in with the intense battle between the Guardians.

"Not so fast, Theo," Mac chuckled darkly as he suddenly appeared before the demigod. Theo's quick reflexes saved his life not for the first time in his life. Giving off a sharp battle yell, he whipped out his retractible metal staff and swung it at the Guardian as he skid to a stop.

Mac swiftly ducked the move, frowning as his essence grumbled at the feel of metal so close. He aimed his pistol, but it wasn't fast enough to fire a shot. Rhodes thrust a palm full of electrical power at the enemy before the trigger was pulled. The deadly sphere of sparks hit the Guardian in the shoulder. Mac's essence flickered from the earthly power, as the element wrecked havoc. Grimacing in the pain, Mac staggered backwards.

Takashi came to their rescue just in time. Mac was recouping and about to attack again when Takashi burst out of the wall beside them with a dangerous swing of his katana. Mac jumped to the side in a dodge, firing his last round in the magazine. It hit Takashi in the shoulder, the force of the penetrating bullet throwing Takashi back a few steps.

Wasting no time at all, Theo rushed foreword. He briefly felt thankful for having Takashi on his side. Without the Guardian, Theo knew they'd be losing badly or dead. Mac had been stronger than Theo had anticipated. He had been a wise Guardian to hide his power that way.

The glass tube with the Infi-map was only a few yards away now. Gunfire and battle yells could be heard from behind the running demigod and kitsune. The rest of the warriors had joined the fight with the Guardian to let Theo have the time to get to the map. He was at the last stretch of the journey.

"Go now!" Rhodes screamed at Theo above the gunfire. She stopped to turn around and face the raging battle behind them. "I've got your back!"

"Right!" Theo yelled back. He raised a flaming palm and shot a stream of fire at the glass. Bubbling with the heat, the glass melted as Theo quickly advanced upon it. He remembered the defense mechanism and wondered what kind of pain was in store for him. No matter what, he was going to finish what he had started. He had created the Infi-map. He had to be the one to destroy it.

Things seemed to slow down in the small chamber as Theo got closer to the Infi-map. The sensation was odd and unnerving for the demigod. He felt too slow. His muscles weren't moving to the same rhythm of his brain. He could hear what was going on behind him all in the context of slow motion, with prolonged sounds and noises. Was this part of the defense mechanism?

Ignoring the strange, alien feeling, Theo continued to run for his destination. He crouched down and leapt for the Infi-map, hand outstretched for the glowing object of want. It seemed like hours before his fingertips had finally touched the magical paper.

_ZAP!_

He was falling. Gasping, Theo realized this new development with great alarm. He plummeted toward a black void with dazzling stars. It was the night sky he was endlessly falling into. Theo saw no end to his drop.

Then, without warning, he crashed into water. The cold depths swallowed the demigod up in a whirl of bubbles and blackness. Icy waters invaded Theo's lungs. Desperate for the life of oxygen, Theo fought for the surface. The only problem was that he didn't know which way would lead him out of this freezing, wet prison. He kicked his feet anyways in a last-ditch effort.

Just as his lungs were about to explode with the fire building up inside them, Theo burst through the surface. His legs were suddenly frozen. No, not frozen. Stuck. They were stuck in packed snow. Theo coughed and shivered in the frosty blast of wind. Confused and half alive, the demigod clawed his way out of the snow bank before losing his balance and tumbling down the white hill.

He hit the ground one last time with a grunt of pain. The numbness of the elements from before had changed drastically. As he stumbled miserably to his feet, Theo noticed the sand under him and the blistering feel of the sun as it beat relentlessly down upon his back. The scorching hot breeze carried particles of sand and dirt. It put a bad taste in the demigod's mouth.

Panting from all the effort, Theo looked around him. Right in front of his vision was a shinning star that glimmered with guiding blue energy. Theo felt compelled to follow after it, but instincts told him to assess the situation more before blinding going that way.

A quick look behind him and Theo's confusion soon grew. The same blue star shown brilliantly in the sky that way as well. Panic tried to scratch its way to Theo's surface. He swung his head to his left. The star was there too. He spun around in the spot he stood, stopped abruptly, and frowned when seeing the star appear exactly in front of him again.

"Not good," Theo whispered in his frustration. This bizarre land he'd fallen into was like a mirror puzzle, and Theo had no idea how he was going to get out. Was there no way out of this world of chaos? Where did it start, and where did it end?

"What's this?" a smooth, sensual female voice asked. It cut through all the elements like a sharp sword through flesh. "A hapless pawn has finally fallen into my domain? I'm going to have some fun with you."

Theo had gone stiff in fear. His eyes searched for the beholder of the voice, but he found nothing in the desolate landscape. There was just endless hills of sand and the burning sun. In the back of his mind, Theo recognized that voice. From where, he couldn't seem to place. It was from a life long ago. A life that was always finding him and nipping him in the butt.

"Try looking up, love," the voice called to him, laughing a little in amusement. Theo craned his neck back to see above him. What he saw was a person waving down at him.

"Huh?"

"What are you doing up there, sweetie?" the woman asked as if she was a mother gently chiding her naughty child. "Come on down."

Gravity reversed itself on Theo. He was falling again. A scream ripped its way out of his throat as he dropped into the blue sky. The female poked a finger into the air to stop the descending demigod. Theo halted on a dime. His figure was suspended there upside down in the air. He greedily gasped for breath, trying to get over his latest scare.

The woman who had stopped him was clothed in greek robes that were the vibrant color of red. The ends of the fabric faded and swirled in a constant struggle for stability, as did her jet-black hair. It cascaded around her head as if it was suspended in its own universe. She had sharp features of a woman in her late 20's. Her body was stunning and appealing on first inspection. It was the personality that would drive off most men when they got close enough to meet her and taste her cold power.

"My, oh, my," the goddess exclaimed in pleasant surprise. "Why isn't it little Theo!"

"Eris!" Theo breathed in distress. He was still stuck in his falling position upside down. The young man felt very vulnerable all the sudden. So this was the defensive mechanism. It was the goddess of chaos.

"How kind! You remember me," Eris said with a sweet, poisonous smile. She quickly walked around his hanging form for a closer inspection. Wicked curiousness was embedded into her yellow, sinister eyes. "Oh, but you have grown! Very handsome outcome, I must say." She traced a forefinger down his jawline and smiled at the outcome of the demigod's small shiver.

"What are you doing here?" Theo breathlessly asked the goddess.

"This is my domain," Eris claimed with pretend insult. She smiled wily at the demigod. "I should be the one asking you that very same question."

"I'm here for the Infi-map," Theo stated without much hesitation. "But I don't suppose you'll point me in the right direction even if you knew where it was or not."

"Oh, come on, Theo," Eris laughed. The sound didn't carry the usual bell sound of happiness. Her laugh was marked with a streak of darkness. "I'm the goddess of chaos. It is my _job_ to make you confused and angry. No one can wreck havoc when everyone is good and nice to each other all the time. There's no fun in that."

That said, Eris poked the air again with her forefinger. Theo gave a small yelp, landing practically on his head as he fell against an invisible floor in the sky. He scrambled to his feet, rubbing the sore spot throbbing painfully on the back of his skull. Eris looked quite pleased with herself for causing him such bodily harm.

"So where is it?" Theo asked. He tried not to sound desperate or scared, which he was. He was at Eris's disposal now. She could do whatever she wanted with him. It was better to play her psychotic mind games now and keep her talking before she got bored and decided to torment you more.

"Where's what?" she asked innocently.

"The Infi-map," Theo answered, sounding frustrated now. "You've got to have it. Vlad probably bargained you to come to this time period for it."

"You know why the gods don't like smart boys like you?" Eris asked airily. Theo didn't say anything as he forced his head to turn left and right. He feared a verbal answer would upset her. "It's because they are boring and predictable," Eris answered her own question with the wave of her hand. The movement created wisps of dark, unknown energy that quickly faded with the rest of her words. "It's the dumb ones that present all the natural fun. Pity," she mused. "You're no fun at all."

"So it's fun that you want?" Theo asked in a growl. The young man was not happy to hear that he was going to be tortured until he was "fun" enough for the woman. It angered him more than scared him. His ears lowered a little, but he kept his emotions in check as he stifled a jerk of his tail.

"Well, my definition of fun might be different from yours, Theo," Eris said as she gracefully glided toward him. The demigod took a quick step back to avoid her, but the goddess simply smiled and passed right through him like the ghost she was. She laughed at the disturbance she gave the demigod, delighted by the power she had to create such marvelous havoc in just the slightest move.

Theo found himself back where he started as soon as Eris walked through him. Star constellations were grouped and gathered all around him with a backdrop of endless black. Their dazzling white lights were usually a comfort to the half sphinx, but they held an eerie presence that night.

Looking down at the sight of space all around, Theo's mind was racing at max speed. He suddenly spun around to face the goddess, smirk of revelation upon his features. Eris appeared in a cloud of scarlet smoke not even a foot in front of the young man. Theo, startled by this show of power, jumped back a step before saying, "If you want fun so much, let's play a game."

Eris smiled an unamused smile. "I don't like games," she told him. Sighing in a pout, she vanished and reappeared behind the demigod. Theo had to repress a reaction when the goddess took a hold of both his feline ears and said, "Games have rules. I hate rules."

"How 'bout a bet, then?" Theo asked through gritted teeth.

"A bet?"

"A bet for the Infi-map."

"Hm. Sounds interesting. Go on, darling."

"If Danny Phantom beats Vlad Plasmius, I get the map," Theo spelled out the terms. "If not...I'm all yours."

It was a bold move. Both Eris and Theo knew this. Either the demigod had too much faith in his ghostly friend, or he didn't care much about how things turned out. The blind, stupid hope in the young man's statement peaked the goddess's interest. She didn't believe he was impassive about the war going on outside her domain. Eris knew Theo was deeply involved. So much so that if he lost, it'd be devastating. To see that would be such an amusement for her. It was almost too good to be true.

"Now, when you mean beat Vlad Plasmius, you mean kill, correct?" Eris asked Theo in a sly, questioning voice.

Theo hesitated. Danny hadn't told him what he planned on doing that night. He just trusted the ghost boy to have a plan that would benefit something. But he had already roped Eris into this bet. This was the best way to make it "fun" for her.

"Yeah, that's what I meant," Theo said, his voice sounding small when it came through his dry throat.

"How delightful!" Eris said with a small, bubbly laugh. "Looks like I'm going to have you as mine forever." She put on an expression of puppy dog pity as she said, "I hate to break it to you, kitty, but the person you're rooting for is losing. Badly."

"How would you know?" Theo asked dubiously.

Eris grinned devilishly, snapping her fingers. A red puff of blinding smoke swallowed them up. When the smog had cleared, Theo and Eris were standing back on the ballroom floor. They were invisible to everyone due to the goddess's power. Danny was just yanking off his Clockwork necklace and throwing it away when they arrived onto the scene. It all happened so quickly. He had no way of anticipating what had just happened. It felt like someone had punched the half sphinx in the gut. He could hardly breathe.

"Aw. Poor kitty cat," Eris sympathized like she would with a pet she was babying. "He's not getting what he wanted. So sad."

"No," Theo said with a disbelieving shake of his head. "He wouldn't do that. Not Danny."

"I'm sorry, precious, but he just did," Eris said. She gently stroked the side of Theo's face as she said, "Danny Phantom was just a kid. He didn't know what he was getting himself in to. He couldn't kill Plasmius. It's over."

"Wait," Theo said, his ears perking up in realization. "Who's that with Sam? Is that Cloak Guy?"

"That's Takashi of Osaka," Eris said. She sounded bored by the subject. "He's just one of Vlad's many Guardians."

"But Takashi is on Level 55 with the rest of the squad and Rhodes right now. How else could I have gotten past Mac without getting killed?" Theo said with a smile.

Eris frowned. She took her eyes off the demigod for the first time to take a harder look at the person now confronting Plasmius with his sword. Theo stood by her side, inwardly cheering the cloaked figure on. He had worked it all out when saw that Cloak Guy had replaced Takashi. It was brilliant. It was some of Danny's best thinking that had pulled that trick off. Pride swelled in feline's chest. The kid was doing it!

-Danny-

"Zara!" Danny called out for the Guardian. Zara appeared by the ghost boy's side in less than a second. Melody was handing onto her leg, looking frightened and nervous. Danny didn't waste time. He gently pushed Sam toward her while saying in a rush, "Get Sam out of here and clear everyone out of the ballroom. Then go and help squads five, six, and seven. Understand?"

"Are those orders?" Zara asked with a raised eyebrow. She didn't know what to think about all this. Of course Takashi had told her this would happen last night, but it was different when it was playing all out in front of her.

"Those are orders from the leader of this squad, Zara," Danny told her seriously.

"No, Danny," Sam said as her boyfriend tried to hand her over to the Guardian. Her frail fingers dug into his cloak, and she refused to be pushed away. "I want to stay here with you. You need help."

"I don't want anyone to see what happens next," Danny said with a firm shake of his head. "He's already used you once to get to me. I won't allow that to happen again." He smiled a little here, saying, "Besides, you're better needed where Zara's going to take you. Please, Sam. Go. I have to do this on my own."

Before Danny knew it, Sam had lunged at him and captured his lips in a deep, desperate kiss. The passion behind it weakened the boy's knees. He had the hardest time not completely forgetting Vlad was watching them and waiting for the perfect time to strike like the snake he was. Instead of melting with his emotions, Danny patiently waited till Sam was finished and pulled away.

"Do what you have to do, Danny," Sam told him will full fledged seriousness.

"I will."

-Ember-

This was ridiculous! Beaten in hardly one move! Ember felt embarrassed and humiliated. The two emotions made the rocker ghost furious. That fox girl was going to pay dearly for making a fool out of Ember McCain.

Hair burning and crackling with each heated footstep, Ember marched purposely down the hallway to the main chamber on Level 55 of the Tower. She had easily maneuvered her way out of the ghost rope they had used to tie her up on the roof, now she was coming after the kitsune and her crew with revenge on her mind.

The doors opened. To Ember's complete surprise, the first thing she saw was Takashi getting shot in the shoulder with a bullet. Cursing in fierce Japanese, the Guardian stumbled backwards before wielding his sword and coming back at Mac with an expert slash of the katana. The arch of the blade cut through Mac's chest. The Nazi spat out German profanity, dodging the best he could from attacks coming from not only Takashi, but from Rhodes and one or two brave warriors who had withstood the battle so far. Their other comrades were either too wounded to fight or dead on the floor.

On the other side of the room, the Infi-map was shining with a blinding, warm light. Something was wrong with it. Ember had never seen it shimmer like that before. She didn't understand. She didn't understand any of this.

"Takashi?" Ember screamed the Guardian's name. "What are you DOING?"

The distraction of her voice cost Takashi. He glanced in alarm at the ghost out of pure habit from having her as his master for so long. In the time frame, he was shot in the head. Although that one bullet couldn't ever kill him, it still hurt his essence. Takashi let out a sharp cry of pain as the force of the projecting object brought him to the ground.

Ember rushed over to her fallen and former Guardian. Confusion and anger splayed over her painted features. "Why are you attacking your own side?" she asked him. "You're helping the enemy! Vlad is going to kill you!"

"You say that like I don't know that already," Takashi spat back as he weakly sat up into a crouch. He panted for breath. His wounds from multiple gun shots were healing at a steady pace, but their mark was left by some spillage of essence blood. The color stained his usually perfect suit. Ember had never seen him like this.

"But...why?" Ember asked after some hesitation.

"Why do you care?" Takashi asked her. His voice wasn't heavy with frustration. It was light with his curiousness. "Why do you stand there and not help Mac?"

"I...no...shut up!" she yelled at him in her angry bewilderment. "You're so stupid!"

"I know," Takashi sighed in amusement. He missed her saying that. He didn't know why. "But at least I'm not cleaning your dumb guitar."

"You're going to regret saying those words, dipstick," Ember seethed back. She positioned her fixed guitar in front of her and raised her pick in attack form. She was going to blow him away into tomorrow if she had her way with things.

"Just help us, former master," Takashi said with his usual sly smile. It tweaked the corner of his lips the way she always remembered and hated. "Wasn't it you who wanted to start a revolution with your music? Start it here and now."

Ember had already made up her mind.

-Zaramama-

"What's the problem here?" Zara asked the leader of the three squads with new found authority. Sam and Melody stood on both her sides, silent and slightly traumatized by recent events.

"We're having trouble keeping off Plasmius's soldiers on the inside of the Tower and quelling the crowd of rioting civilians on the outside. It's crushing us and dwindling our numbers. We're not allowed to use killing force. It's proving to be a problem," the leader quickly told Zara.

"Not killing _is_ a problem," Zara muttered. She put her hands on her hips and sighed with thought. There had to be some kind of solution to this mess. They couldn't let the people in, but they also needed to keep the inside soldiers off their backs. She could see why the human had called it a problem.

"Does this time period have knockout gas or something?" Sam spoke up.

"Our guns have knockout gas canisters that we can shoot, but they are useless because not enough of us brought masks," the warrior answered. "Not many people remember how to make them. They are rare." Sam gave him an odd look. Since when were gas masks a rare object? The future was going to be very strange.

"That doesn't matter," Zara said with a casual wave of her hand. An evil gleam was set in her golden eyes. Sam liked seeing it there. From living with a Guardian for so long, it was always a thrill to see it when Takashi had a brilliant idea. This time was no different.

"What's your plan?" the leader asked reluctantly. Unlike Sam, he was a little hesitant when trusting his life to a Guardian.

"Tell all the warriors to take off their armor," Zara ordered him. He simply stared at her. An explanation was dearly needed for his human mind. Zara smiled at the man wickedly before saying, "Brute force isn't gonna get us anywhere. Some trickery of the mind is all we need. Trust the great Zaramama, my stupid human friend. She'll lead you to victory."

"Thank you, captain modesty," Sam muttered sarcastically from the Guardian's side.

"You can shut up," Zara snapped back at her. Melody smiled.

-Danny-

They were all alone in the ballroom now. The crowd of party goers and squad members had been ushered off the floor by Zara. While the inside of the large room was eerily quiet, meanwhile, there was a raging battle going on outside the thick walls.

A few floors above, Takashi and Rhodes were fighting for their lives against Mac. Theo was stuck in an evil goddess' endless void of her chaotic domain and betting with his life on the outcome of this very battle between rival ghosts. Below the Tower, a riot of angry Plasmius followers were bursting at the seams to storm the building. Three squads and a Guardian's harebrained scheme was all the Rebellion had to fend off both disgruntled bystanders and Vlad's strong soldiers. The sky told its own story of skirmishes. Mandrake and his squads were fighting fiercely for dominance of sky ships.

The night was alight with people fighting for a purpose. It all depended on the two ghosts inside the ballroom on which side would win.

"Well done, Daniel," Plasmius told Danny. "You've successfully taken all distractions out of the picture. What was your motive? To have a fair fight with me? Were you afraid I'd use one of them as a hostage?"

Plasmius took a small step to the side. Danny did the same in the opposite direction. Plasmius saw how focused the boy was. It was a curious change from the teen that stood there only moments before. Something was oddly different with this Danny. Vlad didn't like it.

"I'm not killing anyone tonight who doesn't need to die," Danny responded.

"What are you trying to say?" Vlad laughed at the boy trying to act like a man before him. They were circling each other. It was a dangerous dance they played now. "You really believe you can kill me?" the man asked the outrageous question as if it was filled with humor. "You don't have the guts!"

"Guts I have plenty of," Danny said seriously. "But that's not what's going to help me to kill you. It's knowing what you have done and what you will do if I never end your life today that will. You might think it's the person who will kill you tonight, Plasmius, but you are wrong. It will be yourself who kills you."

Plasmius didn't wait for an explanation to the cryptic words from the teen. He rushed forward without prior warning, fists glowing their brilliant pink color. Danny's eyes widened in surprise. Vlad's speed was greater than the teen realized. At the last possible second, Danny turned intangible and shot out of the way of the fiery punch Vlad threw.

A battle yell roared out of Danny's throat as he threw his sword up and brought it down upon Vlad. It struck a ghost shield before bodily impact. Sparks exploded with the hard blow. Danny quickly rebounded a step, gripped his sword in two hands, and leapt back at Plasmius for another attack.

Vlad casually stepped back to avoid the deft swipe, his chest an inch away from getting sliced. He threw up a hand full of ectoplasm energy and threw it down at Danny. The boy swiftly rolled to the side and came out of the dodge with a swipe of his sword. Vlad had to jump to evade the edge of the blade. It came very close to cutting through ghostly flesh.

Frowning, Plasmius split himself in two to get rid of Danny faster. The second Plasmius attacked the boy from behind with a powerful ball of ectoplasm. Danny felt the action rather than saw it. With the likes of a monkey, he threw himself into a swift cartwheel after sheathing his sword. The ball of ectoplasm exploded against the floor where he used to be, leaving behind nothing but an ugly scorch mark.

Both Plasmiuses focused on Danny as the boy sprung off the ground, flew high into the air, and flung a massive ball of collected green energy down at them. The two separated to dodge the assault. They came up on Danny on both his sides.

Danny took out his sword in one swift motion. He flung the weapon up over his head. It sparkled with his ecto signature as the energy coursed through the well crafted metal. When the teen brought the sword down, a wave of his energy burst out of the sharp weapon. It careened through the air and hit one of the Vlad's dead on. The copy was gone in a pained cry and a dismissive puff of smoke.

By this time the original Plasmius was upon Danny. The teen spun around to face him, fearlessness shining in his eyes. Three speeding disk of electric energy were streaking at him from deft throws from the enemy. He dodged the first and deflected the second with a quick flick of his sword. The third he wasn't so lucky with.

The disk exploded against Danny's shoulder. Volts of electricity rushed through his body upon impact, zapping his strength and wasting his muscles. The pain made Danny stiffen and give a strangled yelp.

Plasmius used this time to attack. Chuckling darkly to himself, he shot a ray of powerful ectoplasm energy down at the boy. The ray hit the teen and blasted him into the ground. The well polished marble floor cracked to make room for Danny's body. It was like a mirror being shattered. The picture of the two ghosts fighting was permanently distorted.

Seeing his adversary down and for the taking, Plasmius flew down for a finishing blow. From his place below and inside his self-made crater, Danny watched the ghost come at him with a small flinch. A wave of his hand later, and a ghost shield was in Vlad's way.

The man pulled up fast before colliding with the wall of energy. The shield soon faded away. When Plasmius looked down, Danny was gone.

Plasmius was just quick enough to capture Danny's fist in one hand before the boy could deliver the punch. Before Vlad could pour his electric powers into Danny, the teen let out a battle yell and swung his leg up and around in a violent roundhouse kick to Vlad's skull. His heel connected heavily with the side of the ghost's head, knocking Plasmius to the side.

Danny didn't stop there. If anyone who didn't know him well enough saw him, they'd describe his methods as vicious and heartless. He froze Plasmius with a flash of his ice powers. Before the hunk of ice could fall all the way to the floor, Danny threw a strong ball of stored up ectoplasm at it. The ice exploded into tiny fragments, leaving Plasmius rather weakened.

In a flash of green light, Danny swiped his sword across Vlad's chest. He had landed before the man right after splitting open the block of ice Plasmius had been in. The tip of the weapon had sliced through Vlad's wardrobe and flesh. Green blood oozed through the shirt's ripped opening. Also, it had cut through something else of importance.

Plasmius hadn't even seen him move. One second the boy had been standing there with a look of fierce determination; the next, he was holding his sword at his side and Vlad's own blood was dripping off the end pointing toward the floor.

Hands trembling, Vlad reached into his shirt and pulled out a pulsing blue gem that had been connected to a now broken gold chain. The Amulet of Tula. It had been the thing keeping the ghost in power for all these years. Its power had consumed the human side of the man and cut it off, stopping the growth process of himself and keeping him fully ghost at all times. With it gone, Plasmius wasn't sure how powerful he was.

"I'm not going to kill you, Plasmius," Danny told the man. "It will be your greed. It will be your selfishness. It will be your cruelty. In all, it will be the sum of your wicked actions that will finally kill you. Because if you weren't this way, I wouldn't have to harm a hair on your head. It's too late for forgiveness. This world has spoken. It doesn't want you anymore."

-Sam-

Sam was ahead of the others as she ran up the stairs to where the waiting soldiers were on the third floor. She and the civilian dressed squad members were screaming and ranting like the angry protesters outside. They came upon the befuddled soldiers and started talking and raving to them all at once on how they got past the Rebellion blockade and wanted to make sure if Plasmius was okay.

The lead soldier near Sam told her, "We aren't letting anyone into the Tower right now, miss. You have to - ack!" He had been punched in the face by the girl. Smiling to herself, Sam kicked the man between the legs. Her foot connected properly and brought the guy down to his knees, practically crying like a little girl.

"Too easy," Sam told another squad member as they proceeded to take down the rest of the group of soldiers stationed in that stairwell. The warrior laughed as he whacked a soldier across the head with his gun and watched the man tumble down a few steps.

From above, screams and gunfire could be heard. The gas canisters must not have gone off properly, and the Rebellion warriors must have been discovered by Vlad's soldiers. Sam and the squad she was with quickly took care of the group of soldiers on the stairwell before rushing farther up to help out the others.

The hallway they entered was filled with chaos. Apparently, the gas canisters were filled with nothing more than gas and pepper spray. Sam's throat burned the second the doors opened and she and the others stumbled out into the hallway. Soldiers were firing randomly. People were getting killed or injured on both sides in the confusion.

"I stole these goggles from some soldiers," Zara said from the squad's side suddenly. She quickly passed the goggles out and was soon ready to leave to take care of other matters when Sam asked her urgently, "Where's that little girl you were with? Melody?"

Zara paused, swearing under her breath. "She's somewhere on this floor," she told Sam, sounding annoyed. "What are you? Her parent? Go find her if you care so much!" Then she was gone. To find Melody? Sam couldn't tell. She only knew Zaramama from Takashi's stories about her.

Snapping the goggles over her head, Sam left the group she had arrived there with to search for Melody. Zara must have lost track of her during all the fighting. It was Zara's responsibility to keep these squads alive so as to secure these first few floors. She couldn't lug around her master and kill soldiers at the same time. For one, it was a nuisance. Two, it wasn't very ethical. Sam thought it better to make sure the kid was okay just in case Zara had decided to continue fighting instead of searching for her lost master.

Sam ignored the sting the smoke made at the back of her throat as she snuck her way down the hallways. Like the one she had been held captive on for three months, this floor was a maze in of itself with its many corridors and halls crisscrossing and intersection each other. Every few steps Sam would come across dead or wounded people. The girl fought off her swelled up emotions and continued to hunt for Melody.

Five minutes went by with no luck. Sam was feeling drained of energy already. Her throat hurt, and her body had gone through so many emotions that night it felt like breaking. But, as always, she bravely persevered and found Melody crouching in the corner of a dead end hallway, softly crying.

Approaching the girl carefully, Sam said as softly she could with a dry throat, "It's okay, Melody. It's Sam. I'm not going to hurt you." She finally settled into a kneel beside the girl and put a hand on her back. It was only then when she heard Melody whispering things.

"They're dead. Everyone's dead. Mommy and Daddy are dead. Zara left. She doesn't love me. She never loved me. Nobody loved me. Nobody cares. I'll never be loved. I should never be loved."

"You two!" a soldier yelled at them suddenly from the entrance to the hall. Sam looked up in alarm. He was holding a gun right at them. "Put your hands in the air," he continued to say.

"Can't you see it's just a little girl?" Sam shouted angrily at the man. "She's traumatized! Go pick on somebody else!"

"I don't care!" the soldier barked back. "Get up now, or I'll shoot the girl!" Sam didn't move. She merely glared at him. When he saw this, the man cocked his gun. Sam rushed forward to take him out, but he panicked at her movement and fired.

The laser shot clean through Sam's shoulder, missing her heart by an inch. Hot pain coursed through her body as she fell backwards and hit the floor. The agony in her shoulder was too much to bear. She couldn't find the strength to get up. It was all over. Fighting with everything she had wasn't enough. Darkness quickly overtook Sam's mind as she blacked out.

"Go away!" Melody suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs. It was the loudest sentence she had ever produced. In that peak of emotions, her power was activated. She glowed white for a second before the light exploded out of her and hit the soldier. All his strength and power was taken away instantly. He died just as quickly, his only remains a pile of dust.

"Melody!" Zara shouted from where she had appeared at the end of the hallway. She looked at the pile of dust, to Sam motionless but still breathing on the floor, and, lastly, to her tear soaked master huddled in the corner. With a sinking heart, Zara realized she wasn't upholding any of Danny's orders that night except for helping the squads. She had messed up her and the boy's priorities. Would it be too late to mend the wrongs now?

Melody was sobbing by the time Zara was kneeling in front of her. "Everyone's dead," she was saying. "I killed them all."

Zara realized that the soldiers must have triggered the girl's memory of the day they came for her when she was five. They killed her parents, and she activated her power for the first time, destroying everyone on the Island Terra. Zara had been sent off on an errand a few Terras away. She had tried to make it back there in time when she felt her master's distress, but it was too late. When she had arrived, not even the rats had survived. Melody had been crouching in a corner, silent and still as a stone. It had broken Zara's heart then, and it broke again at the sight of the little girl now.

"Hey, kiddo, you're okay. I'm here now. Sam's just hurt. She'll be fine. And Theo, Rhodes, and Danny will all be alright. You got nothing to fear," Zara said soothingly to her master, stroking her hair with a hand. Melody lunged forward and tightly wrapped her tiny arms around her Guardian, crying even harder.

Tears were in Zara's eyes, but she kept the emotions together as she said, "I know I try not to get too closely attached to you, Mel. It's something all Guardians have learned to do when they are first born. But I made a mistake of becoming friends with a girl who was your cousin. Together, we got in and out of so much trouble and had fun the entire way through. But, sadly enough, she was murdered when she was 15. There was nothing I could have done to save her. When I was reassigned to you, I swore I'd never use the same love I did for her.

"Now I see that it was a mistake. You needed love just like Rosemary did, but I had already decided not to give you any. It was wrong and mean of me, Mel. It was my Guardian side that ruled my emotions. But I want you to know that when this night is over, I'll be your friend. I'll be your parent. I'll be what a Guardian should be. Deal?"

"D-deal," Melody whispered through her quiet sobs. For the first time, she knew Zara would keep her promise.

-Danny-

With the Amulet of Tula broken and gone, Plasmius felt all the years of his human side flood back to him. They had been repressed for decades by his ghost side. He hadn't felt the sluggishness of weak and fatigue in fifty long years. His power had never once faded or diminished in his entire reign over the Terras. It had never dawned on him till now that could ever be so vulnerable. It was a terrifying thought to know he was able to die after feeling invincible for so long.

"You have gone too far, Daniel," Vlad growled at the boy.

"I haven't gone far enough," Danny spat back. He came down with his sword. The blade bounced off a pink shield. Plasmius fired an angry ray of energy at Danny. His sword caught the ray just in time and deflected it into a wall.

"You're merely a teenager! You haven't the motivation to kill me!" Vlad seethed in his furiousness. He waved a hand in the air and conjured a sword made out of his ectoplasm energy. Gripping it tightly, he swung the static-shocked blade at Danny. The teen parried it, grunting when the weapons hit and his hand holding the hilt was zapped with a small amount of electricity.

"Motivation?" Danny growled back. "I have plenty of motivation to kill you, Plasmius." He stabbed with his sword. Vlad stepped out of the way before coming down vertically with his blade again. It slammed into Danny's raised one. Plasmius barred down on the boy's blade, making Danny drop to his knees to keep the dangerous sword above his head.

"Really?" Vlad asked with a wicked, cruel smile. "Do you, boy? How do you justify yourself as a superhero with morals and ethics if you murder me now? If you kill me, you'll be nothing but a murderer, Daniel."

The ghost split himself four ways then. The three clones circled the ghost kid, the same blood lusting smile on all their faces. Danny reacted fast. He pushed the original Plasmius off his sword and quickly threw up a protective shield that took the full blunt of the ectoplasm rays that rained down on him.

Gritting his teeth, Danny blasted upward while taking away the shield. The four ghosts followed him. Danny directed his flight pattern into a circle around the room. He frowned as he put his sword in its sheath and rolled onto his back to look over his chest and behind him more easily. Green energy was created in his palms before he threw a barrage of ectoplasm balls at his enemy. One well aimed shot hit a copy. It vanished in a cloud of smoke, effortlessly defeated.

One of the copies created a rope of ectoplasm energy with a loop at the end. He threw that end at Danny, on the first try looping it around the boy's neck. He gave a sharp tug, choking Danny and bringing the ghost to a screeching halt.

Coughing and gasping after near beheading from the pull, Danny clawed at the electrifying rope wrapped around his neck. Before he could do that, the copy jerked the rope toward him. Danny let out a small scream as he was wrenched in that direction. The copy swung the rope over his head. The motion sent Danny into the ceiling before being thrown brutally to the floor.

He was tired of being treated like a puppet. A simple slash of Danny's sword took care of the problem and cut the rope. He was just throwing the material away when he caught the movement to his right. Springing nimbly to his feet just like the cat who had taught him, he avoided the downward slash of Vlad's sword.

Danny was on the clone like flies on stink. He let out a loud battle scream as he jumped forward and slugged the copy across the face. The clone staggered back, but only to get kneed in the chest, elbowed on the back of the head as he pitched forward, and a get a sword through its spine. Before it had even disappeared, Danny was moving onto the next one to kill.

The last copy wasn't as unchallenging as the other two. It wielded its sword expertly, as if knowing the ferocity of the teen now. The two adversaries battled it out with their weapons for a few intense minutes. The clash of their weapons echoed off the walls of the ballroom. Their dance was mirrored on the marble floor, collecting each droplet of sweat as they exerted their bodies beyond the limits. They were evenly matched in skill and dexterity. No one could know at this point who would make the first mistake or if it would cost them their life.

Finally, Danny miscalculated a step. The copy's blade sliced through Danny's side, cleanly cutting through flesh. The boy gave a small cry that was strictly cut off when the clone wrapped a gloved hand around his throat, heaved the kid in the air, and slammed him into a mirrored wall. The glass smashed upon impact, making spiderweb cracks in the shattered surface that distorted and warped the view of the room and people in it.

"You are weak! You are nothing! Admit it!" the copy hissed diabolically into the cringing boy's face. The ghost laughed as he watched Danny writhe in pain when he sent a few volts of electricity coursing through his body.

Danny gasped in his pain and realized too late that his windpipe was being crushed and he was being denied any air. His eyes narrowed into dangerous, ice blue slits as Danny grabbed the clone's arm and poured out his frosting power. The copy's eyes widened in distress and fear seconds before it was frozen solid. Danny dropped to the ground, greedily sucking in deep breaths of air sweet tasting air. His side was aflame with white, hot pain and his muscles felt burnt out, but he managed to get to his feet with the use of his sword.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Vlad," he muttered as he plunged his sword into the ice sculpture of the copy of his enemy. The clone vanished, leaving the shell of ice it had been in behind.

Danny wiped off a layer of sweat that hung onto his forehead with the back of a hand. Sighing heavily, he pushed the pain in his body to the far corners of his brain and swung his sword into a circle. He was confident and solemn as he approached Plasmius who stood in the center of the room, glaring at the boy acridly.

Danny knew this was it. This was where he'd have to use every last bit of his strength. This would be where he was going to have to use the motivation he'd gained from his months of staying here in the time period. This was the moment he'd have to bring back every negative thing he could think of about Vlad Plasmius and use the emotion behind it to channel his anger into strength and speed. He was ready.

"You are a monster, Plasmius," Danny told the ghost. He struck out with his sword, slashing it across Vlad's stomach and cutting it open. His movements were too quick for Plasmius to see. The boy was a true phantom, striking from nowhere and leaving behind a deathly mark of green blood and pain. All Plasmius could do was back away slowly in avoidance and try as he may to deflect the attacks with his sword and ghostly skill.

"You destroyed the world. Broke it up into pieces. Only for your own benefit."

Cuts appeared on Vlad's chest, shoulders, and arms. He didn't know how Danny was moving so fast without an amulet. The boy should have been defeated by now! Where were his soldiers and followers? Where were his fellow gods and goddesses? What had happened to his loyal Guardians? He was alone and beginning to weaken. Still, Danny Phantom came at him relentlessly.

"Your goal was to use the human race as slaves. They were treated worse than cattle. Babies were slaughtered for Demeter's celebrating sacrifices. Innocent girls were sold to Dionysus for his enjoyment. Humans were reduced to rabbits by Aphrodite's childishness. Humans had to behave like savages as they were thrown into arenas on Ares's Terra. Forced to kill their siblings and parents to survive that day. If you were not dead, you should have been on every Terra there was."

Tears were in Danny's eyes. They weren't there out of fear or joy. In his mind, he could see those moments pass on by that he just mentioned. He had come back to see all this. He had forced himself to watch Vlad's world turn so he could go through this moment knowing in his heart of hearts that what he was doing would better the world.

"No one should have to live through so much suffering!" Danny shouted at Plasmius one last time. "No one should have the power to keep that world alive!"

In that moment, Danny's sword found an opening in Vlad's blocking sword. He took the chance holding his breath. His blade glowed green with his emotions and power as it plunged deep into Plasmius' black heart. He had done it. He had won.

Plasmius, stunned and silent, dropped to his knees on the marble floor that mimicked his movement as if mockingly. Danny clung onto the hilt of his sword, gasping with the effort and knowledge that it was all finally at an end. He slowly raised his head and peered into Vlad's fading red eyes. The evil in them, although weak, was still there and brooding over the last few moments of life.

"I was mistaken about you, Daniel," Plasmius whispered placidly to the teen. Danny watched as the ghost took another deep, dying breath before saying, "I should have killed you when I had the chance. How foolish of me to believe you'd never become a man and rightfully kill me. How foolish."

"Killing someone doesn't make you a man, Plasmius," Danny told him quietly. "It's when you protect others, knowing that you could be killed in the process. I first did that at age 14. You've never done that a single day in your life." Pitilessly, Danny yanked his sword out of Vlad's chest and said emotionlessly, "I hope the afterlife treats you just as much as you treated this world."

Then, with a shaky heart, Danny Phantom watched Vlad Plasmius die.

A/N: -gasp- 24 pages later! -gasp- And I still made it through with half my sanity! Victory! Victory for Lydia!

Joking aside, I'm pretty happy with the outcome of the chapter. Trust me, this longer version is much better and worth the wait. I mean, the other version didn't even have Melody using her power, Sam getting shot, or Ember stumbling upon Takashi. Which I find odd 'cause I remember wanting to do all this at the beginning when I was thinking up this fic, but I guess I forgot till I was writing this finale chapter and realized it wasn't as epic as I wanted it to be.

Anyways, one more chapter to go. It will be more like a summing up chapter. Whew! It's been a long ride. Two years to be more exact. Man, I'm gonna miss this thing. Well, since the next chapter is not planned to be as near as long as this one, I'm thinking it will be out next weekend. Seriously, I don't think I've written any chapter in my history of fan fiction writing as long as this chapter. I've broken my own record on this one.

Again, I'll have one last update around next weekend. See you guys then!


	41. Chapter 41 Saving the World

A/N: Work really clogs up my day. Sorry this is a bit late...again. Ah well. It's the last chapter. I wanted to make it grand, so I took my time and enjoyed it. But, man! It's painful to write these last two author's notes. I'm so reluctant and yet so excited at the same time. Please enjoy this last chapter!

Disclaimer: For the last and final time, I don't own the Danny Phantom characters. All the others, the plot, the ideas are mine.

Chapter 41 Saving the World

"_What?!?_"

Eris had finally lost her cool. She'd been going on a downward spiral for the past few minutes while her and Theo watched Danny's and Plasmius's battle from the silent sidelines. It wasn't until Danny gave the final thrust of his sword that she completely lost it.

In the blink of an eye, she and Theo returned to the goddess's cosmic sanctuary. The half sphinx kept running his hand through his brown shaggy hair and clenching his fists, all in attempt to bottle up his soaring emotions of victory so Eris couldn't see. He shouldn't have bothered. The goddess was on a furious tyrant. Star constellations dimmed and brightened as the woman screamed her frustration and anger. She paced back and forth through her night sky. Dark energy oozed ominously out of her and curled like slithering snakes into the air before fading. She was not someone to be reckoned with. That's for sure.

"This is all your fault!" Eris finally pinned the blame on Theo. She whirled on him like an angry, hissing cat and pointed an accusatory forefinger at him. By this time she had grown, and her index finger was the size of the demigod she was condemning.

"My fault?" Theo asked with plain sarcasm. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave the goddess a stern look before asking, "And how is this my fault?"

"Oh! Don't you play coy with me!" Eris snarled, pushing her giant face toward him.

"I'm not being coy," Theo retorted. He was done being scared. Danny had won. Plasmius was gone. He was more angry the goddess hadn't lived up to her word yet than anything else right now. "I'm being realistic. I had nothing to do with your boss being killed."

"You're the one who trained the kid!" she proclaimed with exasperation.

"If you weren't so upset that you lost our bet, you wouldn't be playing your stupid mind games with me right now!" Theo shouted back. His ears were flat, and his mood was cross. He wanted out. They had made a deal. Eris was just being a sore loser.

"Oh ho ho!" Eris laughed mirthlessly. An evil shine was making its way to her yellow eyes. "So you want to play games, my little kitty cat? Here! Try this one! It's called survive my domain of chaos!"

The floor fell out under Theo's feet. Not for the first time that night, he was falling into a dark void. His ears were filled with the haunting sound of the goddess's laughter. He landed on something stringy and bouncy. Like a trampoline. On impact, the material indented. Theo thought he was going to be thrown off, but the material was sticky and snapped him back before he could fall.

Something that sounded like a flood light boomed on from below. The light casted drastic, fathomless shadows into oblivion. Theo grunted, trying to pull his arm off the substance that he was laying on. The light shone through the semitransparent, rope-like substance. It came to Theo's realization that he was caught in a web.

With a racing heart, Theo grunted and struggled to get his limbs free of the sticky string but to to no avail. A hiss was generated from the depths of the web. Theo looked over his heaving chest to see a creature arrive out of the shadows.

It was a massive black arachnid. Its eight spindly legs were the size of the the demigod himself. They moved with erratic feel to them, almost as if anticipating their helpless prey. Saliva cultivated at the spider's two movable jaw-like mandibles. With a striking contrast to the rest of the color of the spider, a blood red marking of an hourglass was on the underside of the spider's large abdomen. The symbol of time was a sadistic metaphor to its victims. They wouldn't have much of it when the spider injected her prey with her toxic venom.

For a moment, Theo thought he was going to panic. On the inside, he surely did. Fear swelled up and clogged his brain from all thinking. Breathing became difficult, and his fight or flight instincts were befuddled because he wanted to run but he couldn't.

It took well trained inner strength for the half sphinx to calm his brain down just enough to think straight. Panting, Theo yelled into the darkness, "You can't kill me, Eris! You know you can't interfere with the lives of the people in your domain! You'll have to make me go crazy before you can do anything like it!"

"My poor kitty cat," Eris's voice echoed off the walls of whatever chamber Theo had been dumped in. "I might not be able to kill you, but my spider surely can. You two make nice now."

A deep frown formed on the demigod's face after he heard this. His eyes wearily followed the creepy movements of the spider that now towered over him. He could see the large, pointy stinger on the hungry creature. It dripped with deadly venom as it poised above her trapped victim. It then lunged downward with thoughts of plunging the stinger into the hapless prey.

At the last second, Theo burst into flames. The web's stickiness was burnt to a crisp all in the matter of a second. It left Theo to fall again, but he thought it better than to have the spider sting and eat him. Not a good way to go.

Unexpectedly, Theo landed soon after escaping the spider with his fire display and fall. He gave a small grunt at the rough impact with a cement floor and his shoulder. He cautiously raised his head and looked for the danger he knew would come.

What next? A giant frog that would chase after him, thinking the cat was a fly it could pick off with its sticky tongue? A monstrously huge bug that would eat his head off? Or worse; a dog? Theo shivered at the horrible thought.

"Please don't let it be a canine," Theo muttered into the darkness to himself. He hoped Eris hadn't heard him and hoped that saying that wouldn't be dooming himself.

As if these words triggered something, lights once again blasted to life all around. Loud, obnoxious theme park music pounded out of speakers that were not visible. The intruding sound made Theo's sensitive cat ears flatten in minor aggravation. What the feline really didn't like was the wall that surrounded him. It circled him with mirror panes. Not one of them was an exit. To put icing on top of that cake, the mirrors began to move in a circle around the demigod, constantly mimicking his frustrated and confused expression as the music played the same circus tune over and over again.

"If my spider couldn't get to you, Theo, I know this will," Eris's voice floated out of the speakers. "I know how impatient you are. You'll get out of this room till you are ready. Ready to die, that is." With a sadistic laugh, her voice faded away.

What the goddess didn't know was how the demigod had grown internally as well as externally. While a couple of decades ago he was a growing, stubborn and impatient teen, he was now a strong young man with a wife and a kid. He'd grown out of his childish restlessness long ago.

"I'll be right here, Eris!" Theo yelled back, knowing the goddess could hear him even if he raised his voice or not. "And I'll wait till forever. We had a deal, and you're being a baby about it! I'll be waiting here until you realize I'm not going to go insane any time soon. This isn't a death sentence. It's a challenge."

That said, Theo plopped himself on the floor and waited. He waited a very long time. In his opinion, he didn't know how long he waited and would never know. Time was irreverent in his fun-house prison. At times it went by fast. Other times it was sluggish and slow. Sometimes it felt like he'd been there for days. Minutes later it felt like his duration was a couple hours.

All the while he waited, the half sphinx stared at his dizzying images in the mirrors that kept twirling around him. Sometimes he'd stretch and get up to practice with his staff. He didn't say anything, preferring to keep his thoughts to himself. He kept all his pondering light and peaceful. He would wonder about his son and how he would grow up. He'd make plans on how to take Rhodes out on dates in the future. She was a hard one to surprise, so it was a fun little challenge for him to plan these things with her. He would also bring back his past and look over memories, the good and bad. All in all, his time of waiting was, if anything besides boring, restful. In all actuality, he needed the break from reality.

Without any warning, the music was cut off and the mirrors slowed to a stop. Theo had been sitting stoically, but the sudden change made him stand in alert. He was already prepared for what to say when Eris showed herself. He had plenty of time to think about it.

She arrived in a wisp of crimson smoke that smelled like sulfur. It was befitting in Theo's opinion. He kept his mouth shut as he watched her materialize behind him in one of the mirrors he faced. But when he turned around to face her, she wasn't there. Confused, he looked into another mirror. She stood proud and tall in the reflection, but she was no where to be seen on his plane of reality.

"You're proving to be boring, Theo," Eris whined with disinterest. "What am I going to do with you?"

"You could let me go with the Infi-map like you said you would when we made that bet," Theo answered boldly. Her image in one of the mirrors glared at him as he said, "Hear me out, Eris. You might be some crack pot goddess of chaos, but at least I understand how you work. You just want misery and chaos. You thought with Vlad in rule you were getting what you wanted, but look at yourself! Going by Vlad's rules and regulations. You were upset that Danny killed him! That isn't anything like you. And you know it."

"Are you saying that I'm bound to such a lowlife as Vlad Plasmius?" Eris practically screeched at the demigod through the mirrors. Theo flinched, but he did not back down. He simply took it as Eris told him, "I am my own goddess! Nobody tells me what to do! I am no puppet!"

"Then why are you defending yourself?" Theo asked, trying not to sound too smug.

"Any smart human would keep their idiotic mouth shut," Eris snapped back. "Maybe you are more stupid than I thought."

"Good," Theo said, placing a confident hand on his hip while staring into a mirror where he could clearly see the goddess's angered expression. "Now that I'm _entertaining_ to you, maybe you'll listen. With Vlad gone, you can do whatever you want. You seemed desperate when I came into your domain. How many people have traveled here since you started working for him?"

When Eris didn't respond right away, Theo continued. "Not much," he estimated right. "No matter. So you were swindled out of some torture of humans for a few years. Now with him gone, everyone is very confused. I say it's the perfect time to work your magic on the outside world again."

Theo paused here to give the goddess some time to think about his words. He watched Eris pace behind him in the mirror. He glanced behind his shoulder again. There was no physical sign there. She was still hiding in the mirrors.

"You make an excellent point, my kitty cat," Eris purred, trailing a long finger across his shoulders. Theo couldn't repress the icy shiver that spiked down his spine at the intimate touch. He watched her in the mirror lean close to his ear and heard her voice as she said, "Go on."

Swallowing hard, Theo said, "War is your element, Eris. I don't want it, but the world might come to it. The dethroning of Vlad was probably the best thing that could happen to you. Everyone out there is confused, scared, angry, and miserable. They are all ripe for the picking for you."

"You're a brilliant strategist, my furry feline friend," Eris laughed. In the mirror she moved so she was at his side and proceeded to play with his cat ears as she asked innocently, "But there must be a catch to your careful planning. What's in it for you for telling me all this?"

It was strange to feel the woman's touch on his ears and to have them move by invisible hands. Theo gave a fleeting glance up at them before answering seriously, "You have to give me the Infi-map. To go to the real world, you have to give it up. Give it to me."

"What will you do with it?" Eris asked with curiosity.

Theo gave her invisible form a thin smile, answering, "Finish it."

Eris, liking this answer, appeared suddenly in front of the demigod. In one hand she held the map. It sparkled with golden power in her grasp. Theo eyed it before bringing his gaze up to meet hers. He didn't step back when Eris gripped his chin with her free hand and brought their faces close together. She seemed to breathe in his emotions as she smiled wily at the demigod.

"Hopefully I'll see you soon, my precious fur ball," she told him in one of her more seductive voices as she placed the map in his hands. As soon as his fingers curled around the object, he was transported back to Level 55's main chamber in a flash of white light.

Gasping, Theo took a step back and examined the new scene in surprise. His wide eyes took in the dead and wounded bodies of the squad warriors strewn around the floor. The battle was finished. The victors sat nearby, tending to wounds and catching their breaths. A few warriors were bandaging each other up after the brutal fight. Rhodes was resting her tired head against a wall, watching wearily as Ember proudly plucked a few simple chords on her guitar. Takashi sat on the Nazi form of Mac, smiling slightly as he conversed jovially with the weakened but friendly Guardian. It was a very odd sight indeed.

"You took long enough," Takashi said, throwing Theo a playful grin. "I had to recruit Ember because you decided to have a party in there."

"Ember?" Theo said in surprise. "How? Why? I...You know what? Whatever. I don't care." Ember snickered at his reaction, still playing a somber melody on her guitar.

"You okay?" Rhodes asked quietly from Theo's side. She looked worn and tired, but she was holding up quite well after such an intense battle. "What happened in there? Where did you go?"

"Long story," Theo chuckled. Sighing with finality, he held up the Infi-map and looked it over with exhausted eyes. After years of careful planning on everyone's part, winning was in their grasp. It felt good, but there was one last thing he needed to do for it to be complete.

Everyone watched in reserved silence as Theo stepped into the middle of the room and held up the Infi-map. He let it hang there in the air just above his head, glowing with calming peace as if it knew what was going on and what it was about to do. Theo slowly raked his eyes over the surface of his greatest creation. Its complexity was creatively beautiful. Theo knew he'd never be able to make something as great as the thing in front of him now. It was a sad moment of quiet realization.

Whispering, Theo said to the Infi-map, "You know what has to happen now. Go where you were meant to be."

The Infi-map started to grow brighter. It sparkled as the light inside it got stronger. Faint jumbled musical notes washed over the room. Everyone watched it in silence. Even Ember stopped her strumming on the guitar to observe what was going on. Theo wrapped his arm around his wife's waist, watching sadly as his life's work destroyed itself before his very eyes. A white light burst out from the map, forcing everyone to squint or shield their eyes. When they looked back, the Infi-map was gone.

"I almost can't believe it. You humans actually pulled it off," Mac said, a hint of awe in his voice. Takashi was still sitting on him, making the Guardian look a bit silly.

"You should go, Mac," Takashi said. The Guardian sounded drained. Emotionally and physically. "You know how it pains Guardians if they stay past their master's death."

"What about you?" Mac asked critically. "You're the one who changed sides to get back to the ghost zone in the first place. You must be close to fading right now."

"I have one last thing I need to do before leaving this world," Takashi answered.

"Fine by me, man," Mac said with a roll of his eyes. "I'll see later, kid. Work on your defense with that katana while I'm gone. I don't want you to suck at fighting when we have to battle each other again." That said, the Guardian gradually faded into smoke before vanishing.

"Come on, you losers," Ember spat at the rest of the group. She was by the door, looking sour like she usually did. The rest of the group gave her equal confused looks. Sighing with their slowness, the ghost of rock 'n roll said, "Let's go find the dipstick and the rest before I get bored."

-Danny-

Nervously running a hand through his black, sweat laden hair, Danny waited in the middle of the ballroom floor. He was shaky and hurt. The blood collecting at his side was a bitter reminder of the wound he'd gotten during the fight. The boy sucked in a painful gasp for air. He didn't know what to do now that it was over.

He had just watched Vlad's body vanish into tendrils of ghostly smoke. There would be no body to remember Vlad Plasmius. Danny didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. Maybe nobody would want to remember the evil deeds he had done to the world.

When Danny came back in time, he'd misplaced his communicator. He had no idea what was going on in the rest of the Tower. Had Theo destroyed the Infi-map? How were the ground troops doing? Was Zara keeping Sam and Melody safe? And what was Mandrake's status? These questions mentally tortured the worn and torn teen sitting there forlornly on an empty dance floor.

"There he is!" a familiar voice shouted from one of the doorways to the ballroom. Alarm showed on Danny's face when he lifted his head up and saw Ember standing in the entrance.

Danny reacted on pure instinct. He was on his feet again in less than a second, simultaneously releasing his blade from its place on his back. A hardened frown displayed on his face as he shifted his weight into a fighting stance. He was ready for whatever the ghost girl threw at him.

"Ha! Look at him! The dipstick is actually ready for more!" Ember laughed in amusement.

The rest of the team caught up then. Bafflement washed over Danny's confused features when Theo, Rhodes, Takashi, and a few warriors rushed into the doorway, out of breath and excited to see him. They were actually grinning. Did that mean good news?

"Don't look so dumb, kid," Theo called out to his friend. "Come on! We're going down to meet up with the squads on the ground." The demigod paused to read Danny's face. He wasn't surprised to see some hesitation there, but there was something else mixed in. Relief? "What's up?" he finally asked as the others all left, not waiting for Theo and Danny.

"I'm just...tired," Danny finally sighed. He put on a small smile as he walked toward Theo, trying not to wince in pain as hot flashes flared at his side. "I'm also confused," he said once they were striding side-by-side. "What's up with Ember?"

"Don't ask me, ghost kid," Theo said with a quick shake of his head. "Your guess is as good as mine. Um...are you okay with...everything?" The question had been asked with much trepidation. He didn't want to upset Danny in any way, but he found the need to know.

Danny didn't answer at first. He merely looked ahead, almost thoughtfully. Just when Theo thought the boy was ignoring his question, Danny turned to him and managed a genuine grin before saying, "Yeah. I'm good." Laughing, he added sarcastically, "I'm _always_ good. You should know that by now."

"You _sure_ you're okay? You just kinda killed Vlad Plasmius. That wasn't exactly an easy task. And, if I'm mistaken, you didn't want to do it before coming here. Did you just _change_ your mind or what?"

"That was my decision. It might not have been completely moral for me to kill him, but I didn't see it as murder. It was a result and consequence to all his own evil deeds."

"So you're okay with this?"

"I'll never be okay with killing, but yeah. I accept that I killed Plasmius because humanity needed it. As a superhero, it's my job to help them."

"So...what's next?"

"Can you stop it with all the dang questions, Theo?" Danny practically screamed at the demigod. "Jeez, you sound like me!"

The two friends stared at each other before breaking out into laughter. It all ended when Danny gave a small, strangled cry of pain and clutched his side. Laughing had been too much for his wound. It felt like it was in flames now more than ever. Wincing, the pain brought Danny to his hands and knees.

"Whoa! What's the matter? You hurt?" Theo said, quickly kneeling beside the ghost boy. He pulled Danny's hand away from the wound to inspect the damage and yelled at the teen, "Idiot! Why didn't you tell me this sooner!"

"Because you were too busy asking me stupid questions," Danny answered in an amused grunt. "This is your fault, cat boy."

"Real cute," Theo huffed irritably to himself. He stood suddenly, saying urgently, "Stay here. Relax. I'll get some people to pick you up. They'll patch you up. Just hang on."

Danny nodded, smiling as he watched Theo run off for help. The feline hadn't wasted a single second. In less than ten minutes, a group of Rebellion members was by the ghost boy's side and easing him into a stretcher. A nurse produced a syringe filled with a numbing liquid for his side. Danny closed his eyes as they brought him to the roof where he'd be flown off back to the Rebellion's hidden main base.

Other stretchers occupied with the wounded were being loaded into the ships docked there of the Tower's roof. Nurses and warriors were running every which way, making sure things were going smoothly. Danny didn't notice. With the pain gone, he focused on the hum of the ship's solar engines as he willed himself into a peaceful sleep.

Before his mind could wander off, a hand slipped into his. He knew that hand. He quickly opened his eyes and turned his head to look at the person in the stretcher next to him. It was Sam.

"Fancy meeting you here," Sam mumbled with a sarcastic smile.

"Yeah. I got this cut on my side. What about you?" Danny asked playfully. "Did you run with scissors again? You know how we talked about this."

Sam gave a small laugh before saying, "I got shot in the shoulder. Freaking hurts."

"Sorry," Danny whispered dismally.

"You're not the one who shot me," Sam chuckled at the boy. She paused before asking slowly, "Did you do it?"

"Yeah," Danny answered after a heavy sigh.

There was a pause between the two. Danny was fading away quickly. There must have been some sleeping medicine in the pain killing serum he'd received from the nurse. He was halfway between dream world and the real one when Sam asked him one final question.

"What's next for us, Danny?"

"We carry on," Danny sighed before drifting off to sleep.

-Two Years Later-

"I feel silly."

"You look dashing."

"Really? _Dashing_? Who was the last person who said that? An 18th century Englishman? Seriously."

"Fine. You look handsome. Happy now?"

"No. I'm also hot and sweaty. Don't the people who make these gowns know how hot they are? I think I'm gonna have a heatstroke."

"Danny," Sam told her boyfriend with a stern but amused sigh.

"_What_?" Danny whined like a little boy. He frowned as she put on the finishing touches to his maroon colored graduation gown. It was the the cap. The golden tassel hung in his face, obscuring his view of Sam.

"This is the last day of you ever being in high school," Sam said. "Nothing should stand in your way from making you happy. Got that?" She fixed the tassel to one side before giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Duly noted," Danny said with a faint smile.

A knock sounded on the door to Danny's room. The door swung open a second later. In stepped a giddy Jazz, Tucker cladded in the same outfit as theirs, and someone Sam and Danny were greatly surprised to see. Zaramama. They hadn't seen her since their adventure in the future two years prior. What was she doing here?

"I'm so proud of you, Danny!" Jazz told her younger brother with a big, excited smile and an obnoxious squeal that made Zara wince in deep annoyance. The older sister quickly swung her arm around him while holding up her camera, snapping a few pictures of them for a scrapbook somewhere in the future. After being thoroughly dazed from the bombardment of flashes, Danny managed to pull away and ask while rubbing his eyes, "How do you know Zara?"

"Zara? Who's Zara?" Jazz asked, confused. She looked over at Zara before asking, "Do you mean Rosemary? She's...uh...she's a friend from my college. We're roommates!" Her tone clearly showed the girl's nervousness over the subject. Tucker looked the most confused of the group by far.

"I...oh...I thought she was someone else," Danny said. He looked to Zara and smiled slyly at her. "Roommates, huh?" he said knowingly. This was the past Zara. She was now Jazz's Guardian and didn't know him at all. He found this to his advantage because he knew everything there was about the Guardian.

"Do you know me, loser?" Zara asked in something close to a scoff.

"Nope," Danny answered with an evil grin. It was fun keeping her guessing. Payback would be sweet.

It was a long process getting everyone to the school for their graduation. The three friends had to endure proud and beaming parents and their obsessive cameras that came with cheesy smiles, a frighteningly fast RV ride that left passengers questioning Jack Fenton's actual license, and a crowd of school mates that needed last minute messages and signatures in their yearbooks.

By the time the graduation ceremony had started, Danny realized how his stomach was chuck full of butterflies. He was going to have to give a speech, being the town's superhero ghost boy and all. So was Sam and Tucker. They were all pretty nervous when they took their seats on the stage that was placed on one side of the Casper High Raven's football field.

Danny was to go first. On wobbly legs that had suddenly turned into jello, the grown teen strode toward the microphone set up on center stage. Every eye was focused on him. Why was it that he could laugh in the face of danger when battling evil ghosts and then be reduced to a petrified kid when it came down to a simple speech?

Opening his mouth, Danny suddenly knew he was going to nail this thing as a surge of confidence came through him. He never got to it. Just as he was beginning to speak, a green portal burst open behind him. He half turned, confused and a bit wary of the swirling vortex.

The crowd all gasped when hands came through the ghost portal and grabbed Danny and Sam before dragging them in with one fell swoop. Once the two teens were through, the portal vanished as if lamely pretending that nothing of the sort of kidnap had happened. Nobody knew what to do. They simply stared at the empty stage before turning their eyes expectedly toward Mr. Lancer. The man gave the crowd a nervous grin. He was going to kill the ghost kid for this.

Meanwhile, Danny and Sam were jostled into darkness. The two bewildered teens bumped and hit into each other as unseen people swarmed around them, yanking off their gowns and caps. All the while, they were being pushed up a flight of steps.

Just as Danny was about to go ghost and blast everyone in the room to tomorrow, a door was thrown open and he and Sam were thrown into the dazzling light. They stumbled forward into the breezy, sunny day, confused, slightly frightened, and greatly bothered for the disturbance.

"What's that noise?" Danny asked Sam. It sounded like howling wind, but not quite. His eyes were just then adjusting to the new light. He looked up and out. The sight nearly took his breath away.

They were in the future. But not the future they had left two years ago. They were on the roof of the Tower. Instead of the grimy, dying city that Vlad Plasmius had ruled by using pain and suffering, there was a beautiful modern city around them that rose up proudly to meet them. Skyscrapers were sparkling and gleaming in the plentiful sunlight. Holographic signs displayed and proclaimed products to be sold and bought. The air was full of life, hope, and the usual smell of human grittiness a city produces. The depressing decay was gone. The transformation blew the two away.

"Nice, huh?" Theo asked them as he popped up between them. Bob was with him, nodding in agreement. "I think the change went quite well. I guess I should give you _some_ credit, ghost boy." He gave the two a wry grin as they took him in with surprise and joy.

"Theo!" Danny exclaimed before throwing his arms around his friend's shoulders for a hug. Sam did the same, laughing as the demigod's ears flattened in annoyance. Typical Theo.

"Alright! Get off me!" Theo yelled at the two. They quickly obeyed, knowing that he was serious. The half sphinx steadied himself while muttering, "Jeez, they are like trained smotherers."

"How long has it been since we left?" Sam asked as she and Danny pulled away.

"Five years," Rhodes answered as she seemingly appeared next to them. At her side was cute little Danny. He watched the two humans with timid interest, fox tail swishing around behind him like his mom's.

"Boy, he's grown!" Danny said when he spotted the kid. The smaller Danny shyly hid behind Rhodes's legs, peeking out only when he had worked up the courage to look at the young man he was named after. Sam giggled from his cuteness.

"I've grown too," a voice said from behind them. Danny and Sam turned, but they didn't recognize the twelve-year-old that stood there. Her brown hair was long and blew elegantly in the breeze. Freckles dotted her face. Her stance was of someone with renewed confidence and energy. The girl smiled at the pair, waiting for them to catch on. It were her golden eyes that did the trick.

"Melody?" Danny asked in astonishment. "Wow! Is that really you?"

Melody's usual shyness came back in that moment. Her cheeks blushed pink as she ground the toe of her sneaker into the floor. "Yeah," she said, pushing a lock of hair out of her face. "I've missed you," she finally said.

She couldn't say anymore because Danny was wrapping his arms around her. Choking on her tears, Melody gripped the ghost boy hard and long. She buried her face into his shoulder, remembering and relishing his smell and ghostly energy from long ago. Danny had been the first to show her kindness. The first to show her humanity and what it felt like. He had been the first step toward the life and happiness she had today. She would never be able to thank him enough or get him to understand what he did to her life.

"Oh my gosh!" Melody suddenly yelled in excitement, pulling away from Danny as she remembered something. "You weren't here when I first got them!"

"Got who?" Danny and Sam asked in unison.

"My new parents!" Melody said. She was practically jumping up and down now, a typical teenager with too much joy. She snapped her fingers, and two puffs of smoke appeared at her sides. As the smoke cleared, they could see who the two were.

Zara stood on Melody's right, hands on her hips and a sneaky smile adorning her lips. On the other was Takashi. As usual, his hands were placed in his pockets and his relaxed stance was poised with aloof assurance.

"New parents?" Danny asked in astonishment. Then again, it seemed so right the two Guardians would come to love each other and take care of the girl.

Sam took one look at Takashi before jumping on him with a hug. She had missed the Guardian greatly. He had taken care of her for those three horrible months she was Vlad's prisoner. Without him, she knew she wouldn't be there today. He would have said the same about her, but he hadn't expected so much of an emotional reaction out her. After a second of awkwardness, he hugged the human back.

"If you cry, I'll beat you up," Sam said into his ear, still hugging him.

"I'd like to see you try, human," he teased back.

"How have you been, ghost dork?" Zara was asking Danny. "Not too many problems in ol' Amity Park, have there?"

"Well, I just met your past self for the first time today," Danny said with a grimace.

"Oh," Zara said in realization. "Crud. I remember that. You sucked like you always do, but somehow your sister beat you in that category. If you have any ounce of pity in you, kid, get me away from that girl. I can tell you right now, I'm ready to murder her back in that time period. Stop me...if you can."

"Is that a challenge?" Danny questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"We'll see," she answered cryptically.

"I hate to break up the reunion, Mr. Fenton, but I think there's someone who wants to see you," Mandrake said from behind. Danny turned around, grinning. He had a lot of respect for this man. Without him, the Rebellion would have died off years ago. The two shook hands because Danny thought Mandrake wouldn't find a hug funny or needed.

"Who wants to meet me?" Danny asked.

"Follow me," Mandrake said. A sly smile curled the corners of his lips as he motioned for everyone to come and walk behind him.

Curious by this, Danny and Sam ventured after the dragon with the others trailing closely behind. They traveled across the roof of the Tower, heading for an edge that lead out onto a platform that would give them visual out over the city and the street below. It was then when Danny noticed the large, billboard sized video screens that hovered in the air. They were turned away from him, so he didn't know what they were displaying.

When Danny walked out over the platform, the noise he had heard when arriving in the time period grew greatly louder. With a gasp, Danny saw what was producing the noise. He looked down and out over the platform where a sea of people had converged as a massive group. There had to be millions of humans gathered below or on roofs of buildings. The second they all saw him, a cheer rose up from them that could have broken the earth up a second time. The sheer noise was overwhelming to the ghost boy.

"They are here for you, Danny," Mandrake quietly told the teen. "You are their saviour."

"Saviour?" Danny managed to croak out of his throat that had clogged with emotion. "No-I...I didn't do anything. I was just doing my job."

"Still, you did your job very well," Theo said with a warm, proud smile for his friend and former student. "Stop trying to be humble, kid. Take your place as hero. You've earned it. And for once I'm not being sarcastic."

Bob rolled his eyes when hearing this from the demigod before waving to the crowd with his stubby, green knobs for hands. Little Danny saw this and did the same as he still hung around his mother's legs. Rhodes watched her son with a peaceful smile on her face. Theo ruined this expression as he pulled her into a kiss.

Tentatively, Danny stepped out to the very edge of the platform. Sam lingered behind him as silent support. He looked up at the hologram screens floating above him. His face was on every one of them. It was scary and exciting at the same time.

"Go ghost," Sam told her boyfriend from behind. He glanced back at her, unsure. She smiled at him. "Go on. It's all you have to do." Danny nodded before turning back around and looking out over the waiting crowd.

"I'm going ghost!" Danny shouted across the city. The cool rings erupted out of him, transforming the human into his ghostly counter part in a mere second. The moment the change was complete, the crowd went crazy with their cheers. The noise rose up and hit the young man. He could literally feel the hope and joy in their collaborated voices. They swelled up in one single emotion that brought tears to Danny's eyes. He had helped all these people. To see the result of his selfless deeds here before him today was an experience he had rarely had the pleasure to feel in the past. And none of it could be as powerful as this one.

"You did it again, Danny. You saved the world," Sam said to him as she slipped her hand into his. The teen quickly wiped away any trace of tears as he gave a quiet chuckle.

"Yeah," he said with a smile. It was a smile that lit up his entire face. "I did. Not bad for a kid just getting out of high school, huh?"

Future Mythology

Written By: Pixiegirl13

A/N: Wow. I'm pretty content with my ending. This fic was fun, hard, enjoyable, frustrating, and helpful all wrapped up into one. There are a lot of things I'm gonna take away from this fic. I think I've learned a lot about writing since I began Phantom Mythology two very long years ago. A lot has happened in my life since then. I graduated from high school, I moved to Peru, I moved to Atlanta and endured an insane family member, I got my first job at Petsmart, moved to Canada, and now I'm completing a chapter of my life by ending this very fic. I feel like after I'm done with this project, it will be like ending a very good book in my life. Sad, but thoroughly worth it.

I'd like to thank the Lord for giving me this gift of writing and installing in me one strange imagination to create these plots and characters. Without this whacky imagination and interest in Greek Mythology, this fic would have never been made.

Also, I'd like to thank Butch Hartman for making the show Danny Phantom. He's a genius in the animation field. His work has inspired a lot in me. I'd like to thank him personally one day.

Lastly, I gotta thank you readers and reviewers. Sheesh. The Danny Phantom fan base is just full of nice people. I've met such great friends here while writing Danny Phantom fics. You guys are amazing and supportive. Without you guys, I'd never want to write. I write for you people. If I wrote for myself, I'd keep a journal. Again, thanks!

As with all my last chapters, I'll be answering all reviews that come along. Even if you happen along way in the future, I'll probably see your review and respond. And if you guys are interested in more of my stuff, I'm about to post a new fic up in the next week or so. It's a Clockwork fic.

And here so is the ending of another chapter of my life. It's been fun.

I'm done here. -jumps into a ghost portal and vanishes-


End file.
